Desperado
by Stephanie Broadchest
Summary: AU- Jane is a bodyguard for a famous singer. Maura is dragged to a concert by Cailin. What happens when Jane and Maura's worlds collide? (Don't worry, the OC isn't a beard or temporary love interest!)
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes: I seem to be a sucker for AU first time meetings. This probably won't have the heat of Island Fire (see what I did there?) because they're not going to get together until the end, but that doesn't mean I can't throw in some stuff that will veer towards an M rating! I've got ideas!

XxXxXxXxX

As always, it was a scene of controlled chaos. Even though the venue was small, VIPs, tour crew, musicians, and hangers-on milled about backstage. Some focused on the job ahead, and some just hoped to catch a glimpse of the star of the night. The opening band had lit up the crowd and the sound check for the main show had been completed. For many, it was just a matter of waiting for the curtains to open and the light show to begin.

Not so for Jane Rizzoli. Where everyone else's job in the band involved waiting, as personal security guard to her childhood friend and Billboard Country's current #1, her job was all about anticipating. Some might be trying to relax before the show began; Jane was a coiled ball, eyes everywhere, ready to intercept.

"You look like you're ready to eat a small baby," a female voice said.

Jane didn't even need to turn to see who it was. "Only because my doctor told me I needed to cut back on my portions."

The woman laughed and hooked her arm through Jane's. "Relax. I know you have everything under control. You're the best at what you do."

"Considering what you pay me, Lindy, I'd better be."

"Lindy Keane," another voice rang out.

"Oh, God," she groaned. "Remind me to deduct your pay for not protecting me from _him_."

'Him' was Jasper Cartier, ambitious reporter for one of the country's largest gossip sites. Jane touched her gun.

"I can make it look like an accident," she whispered.

Lindy bit her bottom lip to hold back the laughter. "Shhh! If he hears you, so will the rest of the world by morning." She pasted a smile on her face. "Jasper, you made it!" They air-kissed and Jane rolled her eyes.

"Sorry I didn't make the Boston show. I was told there was a mixup with my backstage pass." He glared at Jane who didn't even bother to look at him.

Lindy bit her bottom lip again. "You know how crazy the first night of the tour is, sweetie! I'm sure it was an honest mistake. Besides, it's a 40-city tour. Plenty of time to join the party."

This seemed to make him happy, because he said, "Okay, you're forgiven. But I expect an exclusive interview tonight."

"Why do you think I didn't give anyone an interview last night?"

Her question and her coyness made Jane snort through her nose. She knew the real reason was because Boston was their home town and Lindy wanted to celebrate the start of the tour with friends and family. "Anyway, hate to break this up," her tone betrayed her words, "but you've got 10 minutes, and your pre-stage beauty routine will take up most of it."

"So funny," Lindy said. "Well, Jasper, duty calls. I'll see you after the show."

"I'll be waiting."

"I'm sure you will," Jane muttered under her breath as they walked away.

"Be nice," Lindy whispered.

Jane grunted a response, her eyes never pausing along the way. People waved and smiled, but she didn't return the gesture. She knew it wasn't for her, anyway. So long as Lindy Keane walked beside her, the attention would never be for her, and she was alright with that. She never craved the adoration that went Lindy's way. She was more than happy to be, as her friend liked to call her, 'the strong and silent type'. For Jane, emphasis on the 'silent'. She was more an observer than a talker, and that was just the way she liked it. Besides, talking took her away from the most important thing in her life: her job. It opened her up to making mistakes, and to her, that was unacceptable. Her palms itched, almost mocking her for her thoughts. _Never again._

They made it to the dressing room with 7 minutes to spare. Jane had lied when she told Jasper about Lindy's beauty routine. Makeup made sure to catch the singer well before the curtain went up. Her routine was something a bit simpler. She spent a few minutes sitting with Jane, her lifelong friend. Sometimes they were silent. Other times they chatted the entire time. Tonight, Lindy chose something in the middle.

"Not as crazy as last night, huh?" They were sitting side by side on the couch, and she nudged Jane with her shoulder.

Jane remembered the security nightmare of getting everyone proper clearance and making sure no eager fan snuck in. "It's better tonight," she agreed.

"So relax. You're wound tighter than my grandfather's watch." Jane pressed her hands together, and it didn't go unnoticed by Lindy. "Hey," she said softly. "I get it, you know? But it was over a year ago. I thought you were over this." She reached out to touch Jane's hand, but it was pulled away.

Jane didn't want to ask Lindy when she thought she'd be over it. Was 3 months an appropriate amount of time? 6 months? How long would Lindy expect herself to get over it? 'It'. She couldn't even get beyond giving it a label. She flexed her hands, reveling in the pleasure/pain it gave her.

"They're just sore. It rained today." She knew Lindy wasn't completely convinced, but neither said anything more about it. Instead, Jane pushed back her jacket cuff to look at her watch. "Three minutes to go. Let's get this show on the road, huh?"

Lindy stood, stretching her arms high above her head. She held out a hand and helped Jane to her feet. "You know I love you, right?"

There had been a time when Jane wanted that to mean more, but she was well aware of Lindy's preference when it came to bed partners. It was almost as if Lindy read her mind, because she added, "If I ever change my mind, you'll be the first person I'll call."

Jane laughed for the first time that night. "You wish! You had your chance." She waved her hand dismissively, causing Lindy to burst out laughing. "Come on," Jane said once she caught her breath. "Can't keep 'em waiting."

XxXxXxX

She put the Bluetooth in one ear and had just finished putting an earplug in the other when the curtain opened and the roar of the crowd greeted Lindy and her band. The lights were like looking into the sun and Jane squinted while she did a visual sweep. Security guards were positioned between the stage and the first row, though Jane had to admit, after 2 tours and over 500 cities, they never had a problem with stage jumpers. She didn't really expect it for the 3rd tour either, but it was always part of the security detail. She tapped the device in her ear.

"How do things look, Tiny?"

It only took a second to get a response. "Lookin' good, Jane. Just patrolin' the back right now. Not half as crazy as last night."

"Good. I'm going to head up top and have a look. Keep me in the loop."

"You got it, boss."

Tony "Tiny" Sallis was one of the few people Jane trusted. He was 6'6' and 285lbs, but it wasn't his size that was the factor. It was his attention to detail, and even though she was determined to check and double-check everything, deep down, his presence gave her confidence. He had been with the crew from the very beginning and was the one to find Jane when "it" happened. When it was all over, the ordeal brought them together rather than push them apart. Her hands twinged at the memory.

'Up top' was just above the 2nd tier of the venue. Unlike previous tours that involved 40K seat stadiums and tricky security issues, this one was meant to bring the fans and the singer closer together. 'Intimate venues' the manager said, though Jane wanted to know how 2000 people equaled 'intimate'. At least it made security that much easier. Jane prowled around the upper level, eyes and ears open to anything that might be out of place. She did one lap then turned around and came back again, satisfied there was nothing to worry about.

"All clear up here, Tiny," Jane said, touching the earpiece.

The line crackled. "Roger that," he replied. "It's all good here."

"Okay. Be down in a minute."

The connection closed and she took a moment to lean against a railing and look down at the stage. The acoustics in the building were sharp and clear, and Lindy's voice rose to the ceiling. Jane smiled. Before it got crazy, before "it" happened, this was what it was all about; just two childhood friends living the dream. It was nice to be reminded of that sometimes. The song was over and Lindy launched into her #1 song. With one last look, Jane took that as her cue to return to the main floor.

XxXxXxX

"This is so great, Maura!" the girl on her left squealed. The volume of her voice was so loud that it cut through the industrial earplugs Maura had in her ears. The concert was over, but everyone knew it wasn't quite done until at least one encore was performed, so the crowd stood waiting, clapping and whistling and encouraging the star of the night to return to the stage.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Cailin." Though she was never the kind to come to these sort of things, she was genuinely happy for her. She barely got to see her half-sister these days, now that the younger girl was going to school in London, but a short break in the school term gave them the opportunity to get together. Maura never pictured that would mean standing shoulder to shoulder at a concert whose decibels were well outside of Maura's comfort zone, but when Cailin mentioned her love for Lindy Keane and her music, Maura knew just the thing to celebrate their reunion. They started in Boston, their hometown, and Maura surprised her by taking her to Chicago for a second concert. She smiled, knowing how excited the girl would be when she found out about the VIP tickets.

Cailin mistook the smile for a grimace. "I know this isn't your thing. It really means a lot to me that you would do this anyway."

Maura shook her head. "Really, it's okay. I'm happy that you're happy. Do you think she'll do the same encore as last night?"

Cailin nodded. "In her last tour, she only changed the set list in the middle. Besides, she hasn't sung 'Well-Worn Boots' or 'Blanket Under the Stars' yet, and those are her classics." Maura tried not to smile at the idea that a song no older than 5 years was considered a 'classic'.

Sure enough, Lindy came back on to a thunderous ovation and performed the two songs as Cailin had predicted. The crowd sang along and clapped at the singer's prompts, and when the last note rang around the venue, she brought out the entire band and took a bow, each member tossing a souvenir into the crowd, much to their delight. The crew waved and left the stage, one by one, with Lindy being the last. She took a little longer to say goodbye before eventually leaving, too. The house lights came on and after some time to get oriented to the surroundings, the fans slowly dispersed, another satisfied crowd.

Cailin hugged Maura tightly. "Thank you so much. What a great way to end our last night."

"Well, it's not over yet. I've got one more surprise before I send you back to England tomorrow."

Cailin frowned, curious and surprised. "You didn't say anything. What is it?"

Maura reached into her handbag and produced to laminated passes. "I was told these would get us backstage to meet someone. I don't know if that's true." Her smile prevented the hives from appearing. Cailin practically lifted her off her feet.

"OH MY GOD!" she squealed. "You didn't! Oh my God, you did!"

Maura carefully slipped the lanyard over Cailin's neck. "If we go to the side of the stage, security will let us through. Are you ready?"

"Totally!"

XxXxXxX

The real security job happened after the concert, when excited fans summoned up their courage to try and meet their idol. Adrenaline was a funny thing, and Jane knew this was the time to be most on her guard. They bustled Lindy right to the dressing room to give the singer time to decompress and catch her breath, and Tiny took his spot outside the door without having to be told. Jane gave him a thumbs up and began making arrangements for the select few who were allowed backstage. The venue prepared a room with some food and drink, and plenty of space to mingle, though she knew the real after concert party would be at the hotel. Having not eaten since the morning, she was tempted to grab some finger food, but was shooed away by the silent glare of the caterer.

She brushed aside the dismissal and did a quick yet thorough sweep of the room. When she was satisfied it was all clear, she returned to Tiny.

"She almost done?" she asked.

"I tapped on the door. She told me '5 minutes'." His falsetto made her laugh. "That was 6 minutes ago."

"Okay. Why don't you start letting people in, and I'll drag out the princess."

"You got it."

She went up to the dressing room door. "You can't hide from Jasper all night, you know."

The door swung open, followed by Lindy's laugh. "Gee, I thought if I stayed in here long enough, you'd 'take care of it'."

"It's never too late," Jane replied, only half-joking.

"Oh, I'm out here now, might as well face the masses," Lindy sighed dramatically.

"It should be a small crew tonight," Jane told her, all business now. "Only 100 passes were available so we're not going to have the craziness we had in Boston. We'll spend about an hour here, then head back to the hotel. It'll be even less people there. Only 50 gold passes. "

"Media, mostly?"

"Yeah, I think so. Some radio station winners and some fans with money to burn. No offence."

Lindy shrugged away the comment. "The money from the auction goes to charity, so everyone's a winner."

"You want to meet them first?"

"You know the media bore the shit out of me," Lindy said. "Besides, if it wasn't for the fans, I wouldn't be here, so yeah, let's meet them first."

XxXxXxX

"Passes, please."

Maura looked up at the large man and wondered what percentage of body fat he had. He towered over her by a full foot and was twice her weight. But there was something kind in his caramel eyes that brought out a smile. She handed him the passes and waited for him to scan the barcodes. He compared the numbers with ones on his clipboard and when he saw they matched, he handed the passes back with a big smile.

"Nice to see you ladies," he said. "My name's Tiny. If you have any questions tonight, just ask. Food and drinks are available, but word of advice? Save your appetites for the hotel. You'll get some really good food there. But feel free to help yourselves, alright?"

"Thanks, Tiny," Cailin said, even though her eyes were already scanning the crowd.

He chuckled. "She'll be out shortly. Don't be afraid to say hello. She's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet."

He barely finished his sentence when the tone of the room changed and everyone knew Lindy had made her presence known. Chatter got louder as people tried to engage her in conversation. Maura watched enviously at the woman who was able to deftly give people attention and yet move on to the next person seamlessly. It was a kind of social comfort so completely foreign to Maura.

"Did you want to say hello?" Maura asked Cailin. "I'm not sure what the protocol is here."

Tiny leaned down. "Word of advice? Stay cool. Go grab a drink. She'll come to you, I promise."

Cailin thought about it for a minute and nodded. "You're probably right. I mean, you would know better than anyone."

She grabbed Maura's hand and guided them to the food table. When she saw her half-sister wrinkle her nose at the offerings, Cailin giggled. "You're such a foodie. And relax. You're so nervous."

"It's why I work with dead people, Cailin. Too many variables." Too many ways to embarrass herself. Too many ways to disappoint someone.

"She won't sing 'Lonely Eyes' after, you know, the whole thing with that crazy fan," someone said off to the side, whispering to their friend. "I don't think she's been the same. Fans are nuts."

"She doesn't sing it because it was written by her guitarist," Caili retorted loudly. "He died of cancer 6 months ago, jackass."

Lindy chose that moment to come to Cailin's side. Having caught the entire conversation, she stared down the accuser, though it was Cailin who immediately apologized.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "It wasn't my place to say."

Lindy held up a hand. "You had every right to say. And you are absolutely right. Kevin Flanagan wrote that song and it breaks my heart to think about singing it." She looked at the two guilty culprits who were red with embarrassment. "And I'll have you know, not all fans are crazy." She turned to Cailin who was dumbstruck. "I mean, you sound pretty smart. What's your name?"

"Cailin," she blurted.

Laughing good-naturedly, she held out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Cailin. I'm Lindy."

"Yeah, I know!" she beamed. "I mean, I'm a huge fan. We saw your show in Boston last night. It was awesome. Tonight's was, too,"

"Are you going to Detroit next?" the singer smiled.

"I wish! But I've got to go back to London tomorrow. This was my sister's going away present." She stepped to the side and pulled at Maura's elbow. "This is Maura."

"Very nice to meet you, Maura."

She politely returned the handshake. "You as well." She glanced at the tall dark brunette who had stood silently beside the singer the entire time. She smiled at the woman who seemed to be taken aback by the gesture.

"Are you two coming back to the hotel?" Lindy asked.

Cailin snuck a glance to Maura. "I'm not sure I can."

"Of course you can," Lindy replied. "You've got the gold pass." She pointed to the laminated pass around Cailin's neck.

Cailin chuckled. "No, what I mean is, I'm not sure I can. My flight is super-early tomorrow."

The singer scoffed. "All the more reason to stay up. That way, you'll be so tired on the flight, you won't want to do anything but sleep." The brunette tapped Lindy on the shoulder and jerked her head towards a figure approaching. "I'm sorry I've got to deal with this. Say you'll come. I'll love to talk to you about London. I haven't been there in ages."

Cailin looked to Maura for silent approval. The older sister sighed, "Fine. But I don't want to hear about it in the morning." The wind was knocked out of her when Cailin wrapped her in a hug.

"You're the best!"

"That's great!" Lindy said. "I'll see you there!" With one final smile she turned to greet the new arrival halfway. "Jasper!"

XxXxXxX


	2. Chapter 2

The limo ride to the hotel was a welcome break for Jane. Leaning back into the plush leather seats, she removed her blazer and rolled up her Oxford sleeves. Her eyes closed and she appreciated the silence.

It was quickly broken by the woman in the seat across from her. "That went pretty well."

Jane didn't open her eyes. "Jasper aside, yeah. It was a good crowd tonight."

"That blonde was very nice."

"Which one?"

"The one with the young girl. Cailin. Her sister."

Jane cracked open one eye. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she replied not-so-innocently. "Just making conversation."

"Just trying to set me up with some random stranger, you mean. She didn't even say anything to me."

"She was interested, I could tell."

"Oh, my God. She looked at me once and clearly wanted to be anywhere but there."

Lindy shrugged. "Can't help a girl for tryin'."

"Trying? Trying what? I can get laid all on my own, thank you very much."

"You're right- masturbation does count as all on your own." Jane's mouth dropped open and Lindy burst into laughter.

"I can't believe you just said that!" The limo pulled up to the grand hotel entrance just in time. Huffing, Jane reached for the door handle. "We're here. Thank fuck." Tiny had taken the car ahead of them and was already clearing a path to the door by the time Jane got out of the limo. They made eye contact and he nodded the all clear. Cameras flashed but Jane's eyes had grown accustomed to the brightness over the years so she had no difficulties plowing ahead, her hand on Lindy's elbow, directing her inside the building. Once in the lobby, it was a quick trip to the elevator and back to the welcoming quiet. Only the bell announcing every floor made any sound. It might seem frantic to those on the outside, but it was routine to those involved in the lifestyle.

When they arrived at the room, Jane slipped a card from her pocket and slid it through the electronic lock. She pushed the door open and immediately flicked on the lights. Her eyes scanned the large room, larger than her old apartment. The caterers had already been in and a long table had been set up with warming trays and cold plates. Buckets of ice, with and without champagne, were scattered all over the living room. Jane bypassed it all and quickly scoped out the separate bedroom and large bathroom. Closets were opened and left that way, and she went so far as to look under the bed. Confident the room was clear, she tapped her Bluetooth and gave Tiny the signal to let people come up.

"Let me get changed before Round 2," Lindy said.

Jane nodded and cracked open a bottle of water while she walked over to the large window that overlooked the city. She never got much of a chance to sightsee when they were on tour, and though she didn't regret it, she had to admit every place had a different feel at night time. 'Maybe one day I'll come back as a regular tourist,' she thought wistfully. It's not that she didn't love her job and the people in it, but at 40 years old, she wondered where a large chunk of her life had gone and what she had to show for it. The ache in her hands gave a taunting answer.

"I love the city at night."

Jane jumped and turned. "Thanks, Linds, I needed the shit scared out of me."

"Constipated?" she joked. They stood shoulder to shoulder and looked out the window. She slid the balcony doors open and breathed in the night air. "I want you to relax tonight," she told her. "Spend some time out here and decompress. The tour's only going to get longer and I need you at your best."

"You always get me at my best," Jane replied with a slight edge to her voice.

"That's not what I meant, Ms. Defensive. I just want to make sure you get as much rest and relaxation in the beginning as you can. We both know how tiring it gets." Jane made a face but conceded the point. Leaving a light kiss on Jane's cheek, Lindy said, "Good. Now let's get this party started!"

XxXxX

Once security checks were done and everyone was inside, the party did indeed get started. People mingled and ate. One partygoer found the stereo system and nominated himself as the DJ, using his iPod to keep the bass pumping. Though she knew this was the time that needed her attention the least, Jane took another walk around the suite. She ended at the door where Tiny just shook his head.

"You're making me dizzy walking around, girl," he told her. "Grab something to eat. Go sit on the balcony and chill for a while. You did a great job tonight, but I got this. Or don't you trust me?"

She knew his chose those words on purpose, because they both knew she trusted him like no other. "Fine, fine," she groused. "Between you and Lindy, someone might think she wasn't wanted around here."

Her grumpiness didn't phase him at all. Giving her a huge grin, he said, "Go on. And if I see you before an hour's up, I'm gonna lock you out there, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah." Begrudgingly, she grabbed another bottle of water and stepped out onto the balcony. It was quiet and empty, no one wanting to miss a second with Lindy by being outside. She looked over her shoulder and saw the singer in a deep conversation with the young fan she met backstage. What was her name? Cailin. Came with her sister. The memory of Lindy's weak attempt at setting her up in the limo made Jane laugh. Her hands dangled over the railing and she looked out into the night.

A faint beep made Jane turn abruptly. The light coming from the suite made the balcony seem darker, though she knew a big part of that was the sheer size of it. Instead of being a single balcony, it wrapped around the building, the suite taking up the entire corner. The beep came from the other side of the balcony where Jane couldn't see. She touched her shoulder holster and stealthily made her way to the edge, right before it turned the corner. She stepped out, ready for anything.

"Jesus!" she exclaimed.

"Oh!"

In a chair at the end of the balcony sat the very blonde she had just been thinking about. The curtains on that side of the suite were closed, leaving very little light; in fact, there was more light from the moon, casting a soft spotlight on the woman.

"It's your turn," Jane said. Even in the dark, she could see the confusion. Somewhat calmer now than she was 2 minutes ago, she pointed to the phone in Maura's hands. "Words with Friends. It's your turn."

Maura glanced down and her smile was illuminated by the touch screen. She swiped it and it went dark again. "It's my mother. It's nothing."

Jane ran her hand along the railing, stepping closer. "That's a first. I mean, I don't think I've ever found someone at these parties that snuck away to play an app. You out of turns on Candy Crush?"

"I didn't sneak away," Maura objected. "And I've never played Candy Crush."

"Sure you haven't," she said with a smirk. It suddenly occurred to her that the woman might have been wanting to get away from things the same way she was. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

Just as she was about to turn, Maura called out, "Stay. Please. If you want."

"Okay. I'm sure there's a light out here somewhere."

"No, leave it. It's nice. The night's a lovely blanket."

"That's… very poetic," she said. "Maura, right?"

"Yes. I'm afraid I didn't get your name."

"I didn't give it." The words sounded hard to her ears. "Sorry," she apologized again. "Jane. My name's Jane."

"It's very nice to meet you, Jane."

She half laughed, half snorted. "I find that hard to believe."

"Oh, I can't lie," Maura revealed.

"What?"

"Really. I develop hives if I lie."

"Are you shitting me?" Before Maura had a chance to reply, Jane leaned forward, trying to gauge the woman's eyes. A blend of citrus and honey wafted up to her nose and Jane paused long enough to enjoy the scent. "You don't come across as a Top 40 kinda girl," she said, "so tell me, how did you like the concert tonight?"

"It was… enjoyable."

Jane's eyes narrowed, searching Maura's face. "Ha! That took some quick thinking, didn't it?"

"Yes," Maura admitted.

"You really can't lie!" She decided to stay and leaned back against the railing, her eyes never leaving the blonde. "So tell me more about you."

"Oh, there's not much to tell." Suddenly her phone chimed. "Sorry, I have to take this." Swiping the screen, she smartly said, "Dr. Isles." She listened to the other end of the conversation before replying, "I'll be back on Thursday. I told the detective the results wouldn't be in until Friday, so he can wait. If he has an issue with my time table, he can take it up with me on Thursday." She waited for a response, then said, "No need to apologize. I'll see you then. Good night."

"Wow, a doctor, huh?"

Maura slipped the phone into her purse. "Probably not what you're thinking. I'm a pathologist."

Jane's forehead wrinkled and she twisted her mouth. "That's… dead people, right?"

"In layman's terms, yes."

"That's pretty cool. And the police?"

"I work with the police department."

Though crazy often came in many forms, this bit of information brought a surprising amount of calmness to Jane. She had been pestered by both Tiny and Lindy to relax tonight, and it was as if a key had turned the lock inside her and she could breathe. "I went to the academy in Boston," she revealed.

Even in the dim light, Jane could see the look of surprise on Maura's face. "Oh, you're from Boston?"

"You didn't know that? I mean, that's where Lindy's from. I just assumed…" She shook her head and laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm so used to people knowing more about Lindy than I'm comfortable with."

Maura joined in her soft laughter. "Cailin is the admirer. I'm sure she would fall under that category."

"And Cailin is… your sister, right?"

"Half-sister, yes. Why did you leave the academy?"

"What makes you think I left?"

Maura blinked. "I… this is why I don't assume!" They shared another laugh. "I apologize. Perhaps I should have worded it differently- what made you become… what is the term you prefer? Security? Bodyguard?"

"More like… 'protective friend'," she said.

"I think there's more to it than that."

Jane was thankful the darkness hid her blush. Part of her brain was flashing warning lights like the Vegas strip- 'This is not a good idea! In fact, it's a very bad idea!' But the other part, the one that was tired of the past and enjoying being the center of someone's attention for the first time in a long time pushed her forward. "I've always wanted to help people. To protect them. It's why I wanted to become a cop. Lindy always wanted to be a star. It just so happened that we got what we wanted at the same time. I graduated from the academy one month before she won Voice of Nashville. So when she said she needed security, I volunteered. We've been friends since we were six. It wouldn't have felt right if it she had asked anyone else."

Maura listened intently then smiled. "Why do I think that's the most you've said to anyone in a long time?"

Jane chuckled and lowered her head. She wished she had her hair down to cover her embarrassment. "Yeah, I'm not much of a talker," she admitted. Then she looked up again. "But there's something about you… Must've picked up some sneaky interrogation tricks from your co-workers."

"Yes, that's me," Maura laughed, though she shook her head. She leaned her hip against the railing. "Will you go back to police work? Or… I don't really know much about the music industry. Is this something that will be a long-term career for you?"

Jane shrugged. "Could last years, or someone new could come along tomorrow and Lindy'll be yesterday's news. Most police departments doesn't like to hire people in their 30's, let alone a woman. But I know some people who would put in a good word for me. I guess we'll just ride it out for now and see what happens."

Maura mouthed the word 'wow'. When she saw Jane's silent encouragement to continue, she said, "I'm sorry. I just realized how planned my life has been. I knew from the age of 10 exactly what choices I would make and how my career would go. I envy your ability to… what's the expression?"

"Fly by the seat of my pants?"

"No, but that's a good one," Maura laughed. "Oh, 'play it by ear'. That's it."

"Never done anything spontaneous? Completely unplanned?"

Maura looked off into the night while she thought about the question. "No, I don't think so. I rode a horse naked once, but that was to protest university cuts."

Jane was bemused. "I would have loved to have seen that! I mean… you know… it would have been funny."

Maura hummed. "The headmaster didn't think so."

Jane's chuckle grew into a full-blown laugh. "I'm sorry!" she gasped between breaths. "I don't know why… why that's so funny."

"I don't know either, but if it means keeping you laughing, I'm more than happy to continue."

Her laughter finally died down, punctuated by the occasional hiccup. They were quiet for some time, enjoying the night, enjoying each other. "Yeah," Jane said at last, "I… I can't remember the last time I laughed like that. Thank you."

"And I haven't talked like this with someone for a long time," Maura confessed. "It's nice."

Jane blew out a disbelieving breath between her lips. "Please. You can't be short of men who want to talk to you."

"They want to look at me while I talk," she said bluntly, and when Jane opened her mouth to protest, she held up a hand. "It's all right, really. I'm fully aware not only of my looks but the appeal of my wealth." She said it without pride or conceit. "But it's a mutual agreement- I get a harmless escort to whatever social event I'm required to attend, and he gets his ego stroked."

Jane couldn't resist. "Is that all he gets stroked?" She heard the words and quickly added, "Sorry. My brain and my mouth don't always work together. That's none of my business."

Instead of being offended, Maura smiled. "You're very forward. It's refreshing. To answer your question, I'm afraid any stroking beyond ego was left in his hands. Oh!" She covered her mouth with her hand. "I just realized how that sounds!"

The second bout of laughter rolled through Jane, who held her midriff with one hand and wiped away a tear with the other. Catching her breath, she said, "For someone who claims to not talk much with people, you're doing a pretty good job right now."

Now it was Maura's turn to blush. "Perhaps it's because you're very easy to talk to. I feel…" she shook her head.

"No, say it."

"I feel…" Maura sighed as if she couldn't quite believe it. "I feel as if I've known you longer than 15 minutes."

"Has it been 15 minutes?" Jane asked. "It feels like it's been forever."

The words startled them both, and now it was Maura's turn to try and inject humour into it. "Is that from one of Lindy's songs?"

Someone else might have been offended, but Jane appreciated the deflection. "No, but it should be. That was pretty corny, huh?"

"Yes, but perfectly appropriate."

They turned to look at each other in the semi-darkness, Jane wishing she could read Maura's dark hazel eyes better, Maura wishing she could read Jane's expression. They swayed towards each other, so slowly, the space disappearing so minutely, they were almost unaware of what was happening. The citrus and honey Jane had discovered earlier wafted under her nose and she closed her eyes at the image it would provoke in her mind from now on. She felt soft lips brush across her own and she let out a contented sigh.

An obnoxious laugh from the hotel room broke the spell.

"Jasper Cartier," Jane grumbled. "I'd recognize that hyena laugh anywhere."

Slightly disoriented, Maura asked, "I'm sorry?"

"Jasper Car- he's just an online gossip reporter." Though the moment was gone, neither one was in a hurry to step back. They inhaled each other's presence, finding a key they hadn't realized they had been missing. At last, Jane spoke again. "I should check in with Tiny, but can I get you a drink?"

Maura blinked as if waking from a dream. "Yes. Yes, please."

"Anything in particular? Let me guess- wine?"

"You're very good."

Jane bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "How do you not know what you're saying?" With a wink, she said, "I'll be right back."

Maura waited until Jane turned the corner and was out of sight before she sagged against the railing and grinned, her head reeling but her heart soaring.

XxXxXxX


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you to everyone who's left a review. I'm so flattered by the reception this story's received! I'm posting as I'm writing, so my apologies if there isn't a regular update schedule, but I promise to be pretty consistent and not abandon this. My humble thanks to all those who are reading!

XxXxXxX

When she stepped inside, she was surprised by how loud it seemed to be. Not that the volume was particularly loud, but the drone of laughter and chatter and talk all teamed up to be an assault on her ears. It was then she realized how long it had been since she had an actual quiet moment. Not since the planning stages for the tour 3 months ago had she found life on a low volume.

She made a path right to Tiny who was standing casually off to the side, but whose eyes were constantly moving. His eyebrows jumped up to greet her.

"Hey."

"Hey," she echoed. "How's everything look?"

"Good, good," the big man assured her. "Lots of mingling. Lots of blah blah bullshit."

Jane grinned. He wasn't the type to put up with people's false flattery, and he could see it coming a mile away. She scanned the room and found Lindy immediately. "Looks like she found a friend."

Tiny followed her gaze. "Yeah, the London girl. They've been chattin' up a storm."

While she had overheard Cailin's travel plans, she was surprised Tiny knew. "How'd you know she's from London?"

He rolled his eyes in a response she knew all too well. "That's all they've been talkin' about. Well, that and fashion. At first, I thought it was just Lindy's way of avoiding Jasper, but you know, I think they've really hit it off." He examined his nails. "Kinda like how you've hit it off with her sister."

"Half-sister," she automatically corrected before she could catch herself. "What?" she asked his smirk. "I hear things."

"And I see things. You two out on the balcony. You with that little bit of lipstick right there." He tapped his lip.

Her hand went up to her mouth before she realized her mistake.

"Ah!" He pointed at her and laughed. "Gotcha! I see all," he intoned solemnly. "That's why I'm good at my job, am I right?"

She tried not to smile but it was a lost cause. "Yeah, yeah." Despite their joking exchange, she was serious when she added, "You're the best at your job."

"Aw, listen to you butterin' me up! Might want to save that charm for…" he gestured to the balcony with his eyebrows.

"Yeah, whatever. I just came in to see how things were going. And to get a drink."

"Get her the champagne," he called out as Jane walked away.

She flipped him the bird in reply.

XxXxXxX

She ended up getting the champagne, only because she had forgotten to ask what kind of wine the woman liked. Armed with a glass, a bottle of water, and a snack plate, she managed to weave her way through the small crowd and back onto the balcony. Two guys in their mid-20s were milling about outside, sharing a cigarette, but they quickly went back inside after getting the stink eye from Jane. She turned the corner and took a moment to appreciate Maura's profile silhouetted in the moonlight. The doctor seemed at peace as she looked off into the city, and Jane wondered how that felt. She hadn't felt any real peace since-

Brushing aside those thoughts, she coughed lightly to get Maura's attention without startling her. She was given a beaming smile in return. Jane held out the glass.

"Champagne."

Maura's light touch circled the stem. "None for you?"

Jane held up the bottled water. "Still on duty, remember?"

"Oh, that's right. In all this… well, I had forgotten, really."

Jane knew the feeling only too well. Despite her near-obsession to detail, she had found herself actually enjoying a night from it all, even if it was only a balcony away. "I wasn't sure about allergies or anything, so no peanut butter or strawberries," she said, holding up the plate for inspection. "So if you're allergic to anything else, you're on your own."

Maura looked at her over the rim of the glass. "You wouldn't save me?"

The words were so blatant and yet so playful that Jane could do nothing but shake her head and laugh. "You're the doctor. Aren't you more qualified to save people?"

"Do you need saving, Jane?"

She cracked open the water just as a distraction. "You don't know the half of it," she whispered before taking a long cold swallow.

"May I ask you something?"

Jane screwed the lid back on. Hesitantly, she replied, "Sure."

"I was just wondering… about your hands. No, wait," Maura said when Jane instinctively tried to hide them. Putting her glass on the concrete balcony ledge, she eased the water bottle from Jane's hand and paired it with her glass. "I don't mean anything by it," she said. "I see so much of what the human body endures that I've developed an interest in it. Morbid curiosity, perhaps, but it helps alleviate the emotional stress."

"Gives you something to focus on besides being surrounded by death."

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

For eight months after the incident, Jane's mother had tried to broach the subject, tried to make her feel like her hands weren't the center of attention. Now, in one night, she was going to let a complete stranger into a sanctum reserved for no one but herself.

She held out her hands, palms up.

As if holding a delicate flower, Maura cradled Jane's hands, and as her eyes began to examine the scars, she asked, "What happened?"

Jane blew out a genuine chuckle. "You really don't know anything about Lindy Keane, do you?" Maura's eyes fluttered upward, her face open and curious. "I just would have thought you'd have seen it in the papers or something. Let me guess- you have a subscription to the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times."

"Yes, how did you know?"

She could only shake her head and grin, despite what she was about to reveal. "Yeah, I bet their entertainment section doesn't have much room for the story of a country singer and her crazy stalker." If she didn't have Maura's full attention before, she had it now. "She's got a lot of fans, and for the most part, they're cool; they just want a smile and a 'hello' and a picture. Cathy Brennan wasn't that kind of fan." She closed her eyes momentarily, and inhaled deeply, revelling in the feel of Maura's hands around hers. "She thought she was having a relationship with Lindy. When they… they found me, her house was filled with pictures, some of them real and others where she had taped a photo of herself into the picture."

The pieces slowly fell into place. "She thought the obstacle to having a true relationship with Lindy was you," Maura whispered.

Jane swallowed hard. "Yeah. She, uh… she got the jump on me one night when I was making a late run to the store. Lindy just had to have something the hotel didn't sell. White chocolate covered pretzels." The memory came flooding back and she instinctively clenched her fists, but Maura's thumbs tenderly pried her fingers open. "I can't believe I'm telling you this."

"Tell me whatever you feel comfortable with."

The invitation was offered without expectation, and the openness encouraged Jane to continue. "She was stronger than she looked," Jane said with a humorless laugh. "Dragged me to her car. I didn't come to until I was in her house."

"Chloroform?"

Jane nodded. "Anyway, when I woke up…" Her voice broke at the memory. "I… I was on a table. Legs tied down. Two paring knives in my palms."

Maura squeezed her hands. "Oh my god," she whispered. Almost without thought, Maura pressed her thumbs into the center of Jane's palms then released, repeating this again and again, the rush of blood soothing and comforting.

"She was screaming at me, how I was taking Lindy away from her. And that all she needed to do was keep me away and they could finally be together." Maura opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing. It didn't matter. As clear as if Maura had asked the question out loud, Jane heard it in her head. "You're wondering why she didn't kill me." Maura's eyes widened, and Jane had to admit she was just as surprised how in sync they were, having known each other so briefly. "She said it was easier to keep me and tell Lindy I had gone away than put Lindy through the ordeal of dealing with my death." Her rueful laugh returned. "I think she just didn't want to deal with the hassle of getting rid of my body."

Tears shone in Maura's eyes. "Don't say that."

"Anyway, when I didn't come back right away, Tiny knew something was up. He's the big guy inside."

Maura nodded. "I've had the pleasure. He seems very nice."

"He can be," Jane agreed. "He's also one of the smartest guys I've ever worked with. His instincts are dead on. That probably saved my life. He tracked me down through the GPS on my phone. Busted in like Batman." She flashed a small but genuine smile. Retelling the story took more out of her than she had expected, and she turned her head to the city to catch her breath. Maura didn't push for more, so they stood for the longest time, quiet and contemplative, until Jane finally said, "He's never held it against me. That means more to me than anything."

Tilting her head, Maura asked, "Why would he hold it against you?" She didn't take a shrug of the shoulders for an answer. "Do _you_ hold it against you, Jane? You know you weren't responsible for what happened, don't you?"

"Yeah, Lindy's told me I need to get over it."

"No, that's not what I meant." She shook her head as if reliving her own private memory. "If I've learned anything in my life, it's that you don't ever get over things. But you do learn to live with them, or they'll always have power over you." With a boldness that surprised them both, Maura kissed the palms of both hands. "Don't let the past define you."

How a year's worth of anger and pain and sacrifice came to a head at this one moment, Jane would never be able to explain. But she was tired, so very tired of the past, and something in Maura's words opened the floodgates. Gently pulling one hand from Maura's grasp, she threaded it through thick blonde hair, pulling them both together. A silent question was asked by Jane's eyes; it was answered when Maura licked her lips and glanced down at Jane's. Without hesitation, their mouths met, not with the intent to explore, but to consume. Maura's free hand circled around Jane's waist, holding them firmly together by Jane's belt. In response, Jane weaved her fingers through Maura's and brought their hands together behind the smaller woman's back. She turned them both, pressing Maura against the balcony ledge, and Maura arched towards her in response. There was a wildness to the moment, no thought or plan, only impulse and reaction. The glimpse of Maura's glass briefly brought them back from the precipice.

"Wait," Maura gasped against Jane's lips. "The glass."

Jane took a breath and cleared her head though her eyes were still obsidian in the dark. "Right. I can see the headline now: 'Glass Action Lawsuit'." She moved the potential falling object to the nearby table and added the water bottle for good measure.

"Very good," Maura praised.

"Is it just my talent at being punny that you like?"

Maura's wanton gaze sent all the heat in Jane's body south. "I'm hoping to find other talents." While Jane was busy picking her jaw off the floor, Maura pressed Jane's hands against her breasts. She tried to pull away, but Maura held firm. "If you don't want to, then I understand. But if it's about your hands… please…"

For the first time in 12 months, Jane was not only allowing herself to touch someone, but she was encouraged to do it. For far too long she had denied herself a tactile connection with anyone, partly out of her own shame and partly out of people's reactions to her hands. But here was a woman who not only allowed her to touch, but encouraged it. Now, in the palms of tortured hands, she held soft breasts that pushed forward, demanding more. Capturing Maura's lips with hers, she poured all of her gratefulness into a searing kiss that pulled a deep moan from Maura. She pushed forward between Maura's legs, bending her backwards over the ledge. Her eagerness was acknowledged when Maura covered her hands and squeezed. They pulled back, breaths hot and shallow, and now it was Maura's turn to take on the role of aggressor. Now she was the one pushing Jane backwards, until her legs hit the edge of the table, knocking over the glass, shattering it on the granite floor.

The crash startled them both, and they laughed against their mouths. Jane was moving forward again when another crash stopped her mid-kiss. They looked at the table, then back at each other. It was a voice in Jane's Bluetooth that explained it.

"Jane, you need to get in here!" Tiny said. "We got a situation."

And just like that- like the glass crashing to the ground- reality set in. Like the clock striking midnight in a fairy tale, the moment was gone. Jane's face hardened at what she had done. How many times had she told herself to stay focused? _You're on the job_ , _for fuck's sake_ , she berated herself. "Stupid," she muttered. Into the earpiece, she said, "On my way." Her hands throbbed, but if it was from a phantom pain or the loss of touching Maura, she couldn't say. She shook off the thought. Barely looking at Maura, her parting words were, "What was I thinking?" before turning the corner and leaving her behind.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: First, the response to this story has been amazing! Thank you so very, very much. Second, sorry this has taken me so long. I can't believe Operation Panic Mode has begun (otherwise known as the Xmas season)! I can't promise more frequent updates until the new year, but I can promise I'll try! I introduced a case in this chapter, but it won't be a major part of the story. I just needed to bring in some additional stress for Maura the way the tour is for Jane. Also, the female agent isn't meant to be a distraction for Maura or anything like that. She's more of a representation for Maura of Jane. That constant reminder, you know? Anyway, you don't want to read rambling notes, so without further ado...

XxXxXxX

"I still don't know why we had to leave so fast," Cailin said. She followed Maura into the hotel room and flopped on the bed, her body language making it clear how she felt about the situation.

"I just wanted to leave before things escalated," Maura replied, not entirely lying.

"Tiny had it under control," Cailin scoffed. "And then Jane made sure everything was okay. Which it was."

Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, inwardly, Maura conceded the point. She had slipped into the hotel room amid the small chaos that had erupted between Jasper Cartier and three men who had taken offence to whatever it was the gossiper had said to them. Some bottles were tossed- hence the crash that brought Jane and Maura back to Earth- and some punches were thrown, but it didn't take long for Tiny and Jane to get things under control while Lindy pleaded for peace. However, it took even less time for Maura to find Cailin and pull the young girl out of the hotel and into a taxi.

"You have an early flight," Maura said, returning to the present. "In fact, we need to be out in 5 hours and you still have some packing to do."

Cailin pouted, unimpressed by the change in topic. "Lindy said it was better to stay up late and sleep on the plane."

"Well maybe we can call Lindy and have her drag you to the airport when you're half asleep," Maura snapped. Just as quickly, she said, "I'm sorry. It's just been a busy couple of days and you know how I am if I don't get proper sleep."

The apology did little to diminish Cailin's petulance, but it did just enough to get a shrug in return. "Yeah, I guess." Her phone chimed, pulling her attention away.

Maura saw her face light up and asked, "What is it?"

"I gave Lindy my twitter name," the girl replied with a smile that threatened to take over her entire face. "She followed me. She just sent me a DM- _Sorry things ended so badly. I had such a great time meeting you! Have a great flight tomorrow and good luck with your studies! Keep in touch. I mean it!_ Oh my god!" She practically bounced off the bed in excitement.

"That's wonderful," Maura said. The one bright spot to the night was seeing her sister so happy. "But it doesn't change the fact that we have to be out in 5 hours. Come on. Let's get everything ready before we go to bed."

Cailin's fingers flew over her touch screen. "Uh huh."

"Cailin."

"What?" She looked up into the face of a very unimpressed sister. "Okay, okay. Just wanted to say 'Thanks'. It's the polite thing to do, right?"

Maura couldn't argue. "Yes, I suppose. But when I get out of the bathroom, you'd better be ready for bed. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah." Maura's face was stone and even in her exuberant joy, Cailin could see she overstepped. "I mean, yes. And Maura? Thanks for everything. Tonight was the greatest night of my life."

Maura could only nod as she turned to the bathroom. Under any other circumstances, she might have thought the exact same thing.

XxXxXxX

"What has crawled up your ass?" Lindy looked across the table at her friend and security. Jane sat, morosely looking at her barely touched breakfast.

"Jasper Cartier for one thing," Jane replied, deflecting the real reason on to the previous night's troublemaker.

"Ew, I don't need that image in my mind at this hour. Scratch that. Any hour." If it was meant to draw out a laugh from Jane, it failed spectacularly. "Ooookay. I don't see what the problem is. Yeah, he caused some damage and was lucky to get out with his face still arranged the same way he came in, but on a scale of one to that time 200 people celebrated my birthday by throwing cupcakes at the tour bus, this was pretty tame, am I right?"

"Yeah. I just don't like…"

"You don't like not being in control," Lindy finished for her. "I get it. But everything was under control last night. Tiny handled it like a pro."

Jane blew out a hard exhale through her nose. "Yeah, he's a pro." She didn't have much more to say. How could she explain the real loss of control was outside on the balcony, away from her job? She tried to hide her frustration by eating, but the eggs had long gone cold, and her fork clattered to the plate. With a heavy sigh, she said, "Road trip today, Milwaukee tomorrow. I'm just gonna double-check the itinerary."

Lindy sighed but nodded, and Jane stood. Her first stop was the adjacent connecting room. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it and gritted her teeth. "What the fuck was I thinking?" she whispered sharply to herself. After clearing things up with Jasper, Jane had dreaded returning to the balcony. She knew she had left Maura there in shock; hell, she was shocked, too. But her shock came from how quickly she connected with a complete stranger. How easy it was to talk. How good it felt to have someone in her arms, so willing and responsive. Maura's shock surely came from Jane's sharp exit. She replayed the moment over and over in her mind, each time cringing at how harsh her final words sounded. Part of her wanted to push it aside, an inner voice saying, "It's no more than what you deserve." If self-blame was represented in money, she knew she'd be a millionaire. But there was another part of her that asked if it was right that Maura got hit by Jane's emotional shrapnel. It was that voice that convinced her to suck it up and go back to the balcony. She thought she'd be relieved to find Maura gone. Instead, she felt sick.

And now she felt at a loss. She knew enough about Maura to track her down if she wanted. The security clearance needed to get into the party would have all her information. But did Maura want to be found? After all, it was one night- hell, it wasn't even a night. Just 30 minutes between strangers. So why did it feel like so much more? Banging her head lightly against the door, Jane tucked her hands tightly under her arms and cursed repeatedly with each knock. Finally realizing it was doing her no good, she pushed away from the door and pulled out her phone. Regardless of her own personal issues, she had a job to do, and if it was only to take her mind off a captivating blonde, it was going to get done.

XxXxXxx

Jane wasn't the only one with a job to do. After Maura said her goodbyes to Cailin at the security gate, she turned around to make the long foot journey to Terminal 1, where she had an afternoon flight back to Boston. Susie Chang, her most trusted technician, had texted her 4 times, pleading for some instruction on how to deal with the overbearing Detective Crowe. Though she would never turn off her phone completely unless absolutely necessary, Maura lowered the volume to a silent vibration. She needed time to prepare herself for the surly detective's demeanor upon her return, but more importantly, she needed time to piece things back together after last night.

 _Jane. Her name is 'Jane' and I didn't even get a last name._

Maura groaned. _How could I be so stupid?_ It had been 18 months since Ian left, and while she had had her fair share of suitors- male and female- she had been so careful to not become attached. Truth be told, there had been little to become attached to. Her dates were fine enough, but regardless of the physical fulfillment they offered- some more than others- the emotional connection was lacking, and she was okay with that. The last thing she thought she wanted was another relationship. Ian had left her wounded and exposed, and Maura had meticulously built a wall around her heart to prevent it from happening again.

That wall came crashing down in spectacular fashion last night.

She leafed through the magazine, the images and words barely registering in her mind. In the blink of an eye, she had sacrificed 18 months of self-protection for the feel of soft lips and strong hands. Her eyes flickering shut, she could almost feel Jane's body fitting between her legs just right, feel her nipples harden under scarred palms, feel hot breath heavy with want caress her cheek. She fidgeted in her seat and was thankful for the boarding call. Whatever she had to face in Boston would be a welcome distraction from a raven haired woman in Chicago.

XxXxXxX

If she had believed in such a thing, she would have chastised herself for testing Fate. In the wake of the events of the last four days, the staredown with Detective Crowe seemed like eons ago. Her insistence that it would take another 24 hours for the results to come in, and his insolent suggestion that her newfound "uptightness" was because she wasn't getting "laid" was long forgotten when they found the body of 6 year old Maddie Schrivner. The discovery of any child was always a tender spot, but the sick feeling was doubled when Maura found the water in her lungs. She immediately got on the phone to the FBI.

And that's how it came to be that 7 agents, all dressed in suits that Detective Korsak joked must've come from the same FBI shop, were standing around her autopsy room. What they thought 7 of them would see that Maura missed, she wasn't sure, and she tried not to take offence. She would gladly suffer the professional slight for the little girl who lay on her table.

"So we're sure this is the same guy?" asked one of the clones whose name Maura had forgotten.

"No," she replied. "What we are certain of is, the cause of death is the same as the other 3 children found in the surrounding states." In the last 20 months, 3 other children had been abducted, then found dead, all with water in their lungs.

The talker- and the apparent leader- rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure it's not the same guy."

Maura didn't take the bait. "That's for you to find out, Agent."

The only woman in the group of black spoke up. "Drugged?"

Maura tried not to look directly at the woman, who tortured her with long brown hair and piercing dark eyes. Her lean frame filled out the black suit in much the same way Jane had filled out her own. Maura shook off the memory, but realized it might be interpreted as a negative answer to the question. "Sorry. Yes. Propofol, injected in the right bicep." She gently turned over Maddie's arm to show the entrance point.

"Drugged, then drowned?" Mr. Suit conjectured.

"Yes."

"So it's the same guy."

Sighing deeply, Maura repeated, "It's the same cause of death. At this point, Agent, we don't even know if it's a 'guy'. Yes, statistically, we might be lead to believe it's a male, but the lack of sexual trauma makes it just as plausible, if not more likely, it's a female."

The female agent spoke again. "You have a theory?"

"I don't work in theories," Maura said, but when she ventured a glance upward, she found inquisitive eyes that looked at her with interest. "Fine," she relented softly. "Most likely a female, between 35 and 50. She either can't have children, or she's lost a child."

Mr. Suit snorted. "So why kill the damn kid if she's so desperate to have one?"

Maura turned her attention sharply to the man, but the woman interjected. "Could be any number of things, Agent Richards. Guilt. Shame. Isn't that right, Dr. Isles?"

So she had been wrong- this woman was obviously in charge. "That's correct, Agent…"

"Traore. Rachel Traore."

"That's correct, Agent Traore. If abducting a child falls outside of what we consider normal, then everything after that must be weighed the same, even if it doesn't make sense to us."

"Sounds like a fancy way of saying she's nuts." Richards chuckled, but was immediately cut off by a stern look from Traore.

"Look, I understand," Traore said. "You don't want to jump to conclusions. So let's see what we do have- all 4 victims are between 5 and 7."

"Yes."

"Though we've yet to explain it, all were found with water in their lungs."

"Correct."

"And all were found with an entry wound on their arm for the introduction of Propofol into their system."

"Yes."

"Then based on those findings, Dr. Isles, I'm going to work under the assumption that it is the same _person_." Traore pinned Richards with a look. "The other three murders happened in New York state. You must have suspected they were connected to bring in the FBI."

Maura offered a small nod. The 3 murders in NY weren't enough to bring the FBI on their own, but a case connecting the 3 across state lines was plenty. It was why she called. "Yes," she said. "There's certainly enough evidence to suggest that, regardless of the perpetrator and their motives, these cases are all connected."

Traore also nodded. "The first thing we'll need to do is round up the press and have a little public chat. We need to be on top of the information food chain; we need to be the ones controlling what information goes out, not the press. Last thing we need to do is be caught flat-footed on this one." She flicked out her wrist and looked at her watch. "How does 3PM sound to you, Dr. Isles?"

Maura's eyes flitted around the room as if the clarity to her confusion could be found on the walls. "I'm sorry?"

"I need you to speak at the press conference. It puts the locals at ease when they see someone from the area. Makes it look less like the feds are barging in and more like we're all working together."

The agent smiled, and again, Maura was taken aback by her resemblance to Jane. "I…"

"Great," Traore said, not giving Maura a chance to refuse. "We'll stop by around 2:30 and go through the speech." She looked around at the other agents and gave a command with her eyes. They marched out silently, with Traore being the last to leave. Now alone, the woman's professional mask slipped ever so slightly. "I just wanted to say thank you for your help. This is going to be a tough case. I've read up on you, and I want you to know I feel confident we'll make an arrest. Your reputation precedes you."

She wasn't used to professional compliments. "Thank you. Agent Traore."

Traore laughed. "What is it?" She used her index finger to circle her face.

Maura wondered why she was surprised a highly trained FBI agent could see right through her. "You… you just remind me of someone I know."

"Ah." There was no teasing in her voice. "She's a lucky lady." Maura stood, dumbfounded, and now the agent gently chided her with a smirk. "Two thirty, right?"

Maura could only nod as the agent left the room.

XxXxXxX

Milwaukee had been a resounding success and they all left the city on a high. All except Jane. Though four days had passed since the emotional bomb went off in Chicago, the cloud still hung over her head, and God help anyone who got caught under it. People learned very quickly to keep their distance unless absolutely necessary, and though no one said anything to her, she knew they were talking about her behind her back. Not that she could blame them. She was being a bitch, even by her standards, and she wasn't quite sure how to stop it.

 _You could call her._

Jane had been fighting with the voice inside her head since they got on the bus to Milwaukee, and it hounded her even as they made their way to Minneapolis. For the hundredth time, she pushed it away and sought out something else to occupy her mind. She walked to the back of the bus to grab a soda when Tiny snapped his fingers rapidly in her direction.

"Hey, hey, it's your girl."

"What are you talking about?"

He pushed some fries into his mouth and pointed at the TV. "That beauty from Chicago."

Jane changed her direction and came up beside him. Sure enough, clear as day on the 46 inch flat screen was the object of her dissatisfaction for the last 4 days. Absently, Jane plopped onto the chair beside him. "Holy shit."

Though Maura wasn't front and center- that privilege went to some dark haired female- Jane couldn't take her eyes off her. She didn't know if it was a welcome sight, or if seeing the blonde again only made things worse.

"She's not happy," Tiny grinned. "Look at her standing there. She's pissed."

Jane tried to take in what the suit was saying, but she missed most of it in her focus on Maura. "What's going on?"

He shook his head. "Real fucked up shit happening in Boston. Little girl got kidnapped then killed. But the Feds are saying it's not the first time it's happened. Somethin' like 3 others in New York. All the same, so they're saying it's the same guy."

"Shit," Jane whispered.

At last, Maura stepped forward, neatly placing her piece of paper on the podium. When her name and occupation flashed under her, Jane's mouth dropped. The reaction didn't escape Tiny's notice.

"You didn't know? About her, I mean?"

"I… I knew she was a doctor," Jane said. "I didn't know she was the Chief Medical Examiner of Massachusetts, for cryin' out. I didn't even know she was from Boston."

Tiny nearly choked on his food. "What? All that time spent on the balcony and you didn't even find out-" he stopped mid-sentence. "Hell, what am I saying? If I was out there with her, I wouldn't be wasting time talkin', either."

"It's not like that," she snapped.

Her tone rolled off his back like water. "No?"

"No. We talked. Just… just not about work. We just… talked."

He raised an eyebrow. "Just talked?"

She sighed dramatically and her shoulders sagged. "Fine. There was a little more to it than that." She ignored the wide grin and the fist that begged to be bumped. "Then the thing with Jasper happened."

"Asshole."

"Yeah, well, I went in to help and when I came back, she was gone."

His eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"

With a fiery look of annoyance, she asked, "Why is it always me that does something wrong?" He pulled his chin into his chest and raised his eyebrow again. She could tell he was having none of it. "Fine," she repeated. "I may have given her some indication that I thought what we were doing was stupid."

"Oh, stupid is the right word for it," he snarked, "just not then. Now, yes."

"Is this all I'm going to get out of you? If I want someone to annoy the fuck out of me, I'll call Jasper."

"Hey, that's a low blow." He pouted as he put another fry into his mouth. "Besides, think how it sounds from my side- you had this nice woman take an interest in you. Someone who didn't seem to have a freakin' clue who Lindy Keane is, so she's not trying to work an angle or some shit. Interested in just you. Things go a certain way on the balcony that leads me to believe you both are interested in each other. Then you use the Cartier thing to get away, because what- you're scared? You've got her information at your fingertips but you obviously haven't made any effort to contact her. She's from your own freakin' home town for fuck's sake! Tell me which part of that doesn't sound stupid."

She had to admit she didn't come out of it looking good. Glancing around, she lowered her voice. "What am I going to do, Tiny?"

"Listen, I know the shit that went down last year was hard on you." If anyone knew, she knew it would be the man who found her. "And I know there's no timeline to get over it. But Jane, you gotta take a step forward, you know? Hell, no one's sayin' you gotta marry her. But if the last four days of you spitting nails at everyone says anything, it's that you gotta try. Start by offering an olive branch. I can have her email for you in five minutes."

Jane looked at the TV and watched Maura work the reporters with a well-practiced mask of professionalism. She was subtly admonishing the FBI for identifying the perpetrator as male, and she was trying her best to present an understanding face to whoever might have done this. Jane studied her features for as long as she could, until the lead agent ended the press conference. "I don't know," Jane said. "Looks like she's got enough on her plate without me adding to it."

"Or maybe she'd like a friend outside of this shit." He gestured to the TV with the phone he had taken out of his pocket. His right thumb flew across the touch screen and he grinned when he hit 'send'.

Jane's phone chimed, and she glared at the screen, then at Tiny. "Her phone number and email. Really, Tiny?"

"Hey, if it saves some lives around here from Hurricane Jane…"

She stood up to get that soda. "Asshole."

Again, it rolled off his back and he howled with laughter as she walked away.

XxXxXxX


	5. Chapter 5

She didn't make the call or send the email. She pretended it was the tour, the timetables and itineraries, but the fact of the matter was, in typical Rizzoli fashion, she found avoiding easier. So she kept her head down and focused on the passing scenery. The short tour gave them time between concerts to relax and today was one of those days. On the road, she didn't have to worry about plans or timetables; her only task involved the hotel in Minneapolis, but even that had been cleared and double-checked well in advance. They stopped twice to eat and Jane was relieved when things went off without a hitch. Before she knew it, the city lights twinkled in the distance and she was pulled out of golden-haired daydreams.

"Get your shit together," she quietly chastised herself.

Check-in was nearly flawless with the exception of a few fellow hotel visitors who recognized the country star. Fortunately, they kept their squealing to a minimum and the obligatory fan service was brief and smooth. The crew bustled up to their reserved floor and everyone promised to meet up at the restaurant in the morning. As usual, Tiny took the room on one side of Lindy's, and Jane took the other.

"You've got a radio interview at 8, a TV interview at 10 and sound check starts at noon," Jane told her after checking out the room.

"I know." Lindy reached out to touch Jane's arm. "Hey, relax, okay. You've been like a rubber band stretched too tight ever since the tour started. You're starting to freak out the crew." She added a laugh, hoping to lighten the mood.

It didn't work.

"Yeah, well, a little fear never hurt anyone. Anyway, you settled for the night?"

Lindy could see it was a lost cause. "Yeah. Gonna get room service and blow the tour budget on pay-per-view. You're welcome to join me, you know."

Jane wrinkled her nose. "Another Sex in the City marathon? No, thanks."

Lindy grinned. "Fine," she sighed dramatically. "Don't say I didn't offer!"

Jane walked to the adjoining door. "Leave it unlocked."

"Yeah, yeah."

"And don't just order dessert!"

XxX

Though she was livid at Agent Traore's press conference, Maura calmed down long enough to finish the day's work and make her way home. She had considered going for a run, but by the time she pulled into her drive, night had crept into the sky, so she settled on yoga and wine. Her tortoise judged her with a disapproving stare that she bribed away with a strawberry.

"It's been a difficult week, okay?"

He took the fruit and retreated into his shell.

Maura sighed at the lack of sympathy and topped up her wine. She knew she'd be expected to go over the previous 3 autopsies with a fine tooth comb, so she willed herself to find some kind of distraction, something to take her mind off work even if only for a few hours. Looking around her spotless home, she knew she could only clean the same place so many times before it became ridiculous. Irrationally angered by the cleanliness, she scooped up her glass, set the alarm, turned off the lights and went upstairs. Cursing herself for making Cailin clean the guest room before they had left for Chicago, she gave it a cursory glance anyway. Something on the nightstand caught her eye.

When she picked it up, she couldn't help but smile. It was a copy of 'Singer Sensations!', the glossy magazine Cailin had snuck into Maura's shopping cart at the grocery store.

"It's a Lindy Keane Collector's Edition!" the girl had begged when Maura discovered it.

Considering the readership was over a million, Maura questioned how much of a 'Collector's Edition' it could be, but gave in to her half-sister's pleas.

"I can see it meant so much." Maura shook her head with a smile. Not one to venture outside the scope of The Atlantic or Scientific American, she looked down at the magazine and realized she had found just the distraction she needed. Satisfied at the discovery, she got ready for bed and climbed under the covers. It was then, dropping the magazine onto her lap, that it opened to an article about one Jane Rizzoli.

XxX

"24 hour news channel my ass," Jane scoffed from the bed. "More like 20 minutes of news repeated a billion times in 24 hours."

After making sure Lindy was settled, she had ordered her own room service, taken a shower, and now, with nothing left to do, figured bed was the only option left.

"No wonder Lindy racks up the movie charges." She went to reach for the remote but was stopped dead by a familiar image. The bottle of water she had been bringing up to her lips stopped mid-way. It was the press conference she had seen earlier. Even in her moment of discomfort in front of the camera, Maura was beautiful. The light caught her just so, and her eyes were filled with compassion. They seemed to look right at Jane. Suddenly, every moment from that night was clear in her mind. A glance at her lips brought the memory of their weight against hers. Watching her hands curl around the podium only reminded her how they felt against her skin.

When she sucked in her breath, she thought it was due to seeing Maura again. When she looked down, she discovered the truth. Without her knowledge, her left hand wandered to the junction between her legs where a thumbnail lazily scratched over her boy shorts. Embarrassed, she immediately pulled away.

"I'm using a news conference to get off," she accused. Angry at herself, she reached for the remote again, clicked off the TV and tossed the device onto the nightstand. The throb between her legs protested the neglect. She tipped her head back against the wall, willing away the want. Again, her hand had other ideas. When her middle finger flicked across a damp spot in the cotton and a moan escaped her lips, she denied herself no more.

"Fuck it," she said as she slid deeper into the mattress.

XxX

The article was nothing more than sensational fodder, of course. It focused primarily on Jane's abduction, but without her help, they could only reveal the superficial points. No, the last name aside, there wasn't much more she learned about Jane Rizzoli, but that wasn't what caught her attention in the first place. What the magazine lacked in text, it made up for in photos and even Jane wasn't exempt. Five candid photos from various years complemented the article and one in particular stood out. It was a full length shot which Maura was confident was taken without permission. Even from the little she knew of Jane, she couldn't imagine the woman she met approving of someone taking a picture of her in a bikini. Yet there she stood for all the world to see- standing tall, her hair wet from the sea, sand and sun glistening off her olive skin. Maura wondered what she was laughing at- her right hand held flip flops, but her left hand shielded her eyes as she smiled at something out of camera range. She was breathtaking.

Maura tried to ignore the feel of her nipple hardening under the silk fabric of her robe. She glanced away from the magazine and closed her eyes, willing the sensation to go away. Her body's response was to send a rush of heat between her legs. Whatever guilt she felt was no match for her needs.

'There's nothing wrong with sexually release,' her brain said. 'It's quite healthy, in fact.' She couldn't argue; she was aware of the studies, aware of the benefits of an orgasm. There was nothing wrong indulging in a moment of pleasure. The image of a bikini-clad Jane flashed through her mind and any lingering hesitation was gone.

XxX

It took Jane half as long to convince herself it was okay. Where was the harm in a little release? Hadn't she earned it? Didn't she deserve it? Her fingers seemed to agree because they had no second thoughts about slipping under the elastic waistband. The touch almost made her arch off the bed.

"Maura," she half-whispered, half-groaned.

 _The soft hitch in Maura's breath was like a growl in Jane's ear. "Is this all for me?" she asked when her fingers met the heat that flooded Jane's shorts._

" _God, yes," Jane moaned._

" _Mmm, I like that. The question is, what should I do to show you how much I appreciate it?"_

" _Whatever you want. Whatever you want."_

 _There was no reply, but Jane didn't need words to tell her where Maura's mouth was headed._

XxX

Maura flicked a thumb across her nipple and almost cried out at her body's response. With her free hand, she slowly pulled the belt around her robe free, and the silk pooled on either side of her. The air touched her newly exposed skin like cool lips.

 _Cool lips that belonged to the brunette who was looking up at her from between her legs._

" _How can your lips be so cool but your mouth be so warm?" Maura breathed._

 _Dark eyebrows raised. "How can you look so good and taste so good?"_

" _That's not an opposite compound sentence."_

" _No," Jane agreed, "but it is a mystery. Because you're fucking gorgeous-" Her hands reached up to cup Maura breasts for emphasis- "but you taste even better."_

 _Even though she knew it was coming, she wasn't prepared for the jolt that ran her body rigid when Jane's tongue touched her clit._

" _Fuck!" she gasped, this simple touch so electric that she didn't even hear the rare expletive leave her lips. Her attention was focused on other things, one specifically, and based on what Jane was doing to her, she wasn't the only one._

XxX

 _On one hand, Jane wanted to push Maura down to the place she needed her the most, but on the other, her tongue made the meandering trip more than worthwhile. It flicked across rock hard nipples, joined now and then by nipping teeth and soothing lips. Her mouth, warm and wet, laid a path of promise from Jane's neck to her navel, leaving no curve or dip unexplored. She would have clenched her legs together to relieve some of the pressure, but Maura had settled between them and the feeling of Maura soft body gliding over her was nearly her undoing._

 _As if she could read her mind, Maura whispered, "Almost there. I me what you want." She tried to reply, but it came out as a whimper and Maura tsked sympathetically. "You're a woman of action, aren't you?" Resting her chin on Jane's pubic bone, she looked up with mischief in her eyes. "So why don't you show me what you want?"_

 _Jane's hand went to Maura's head immediately and unabashedly, tangling her fingers through the blonde hair before pulling her towards her aching clit. Her hips reached up to meet her._

"Shit!" Jane hissed between clenched teeth, the image of Maura between her legs nearly sending her over the edge as her fingers worked furiously against her drenched center.

" _You're so wet," Maura marvelled. She ran a fingertip through the wetness and without warning, entered Jane in one smooth push. "Makes that so much easier, doesn't it?"_

" _Yes. Yes. Yes." Whether that was a confirmation or command, Jane wasn't sure._

XxX

 _When Jane curled her tongue and lazily dragged it up from Maura's entrance to her clit, whatever resolve Maura had all but vanished. Hooking her leg over Jane's shoulder, and digging her heel into Jane's back, she thrust wantonly towards the brunette's talented mouth until lips and teeth and tongue conspired to drive her mad._

Blindly, Maura reached towards her nightstand, her hand yanking open the drawer and rummaging through the contents until it found what it was looking for. With a quick turn of the knob, the silver toy vibrated to life, the soft buzz drown out by her short gasps and moans.

" _God, Jane, don't stop. Yes. God, yes!" Her hips lifted again and again while her head thrashed side to side. "So close… so close…"_

XxX

In a brief moment of clarity, Jane rolled over to muffle her groans into her pillow. But the image of her hand gripping blonde hair never left her, and if anything, the new position only let her increase the pace as she ground into her hand, her fingers curling inside her.

" _Another?" Maura asked, knowing the answer but waiting for a reply._

 _Jane gritted out a "Yes," partly in frustration that the blonde would make her wait, partly in desperate need. A second finger entered her, and all was forgotten._

" _Hard. Like that."_

The luxurious mattress began to emit a quiet squeak, the springs voicing their concerns over Jane's aggression as she fucked her hand with little regard to the bed. The headboard joined in the complaint, softly banging against the wall. Their protests went unnoticed.

" _Don't stop… don't stop…"_

XxX

"Don't stop. Oh God, Jane. Yes. Yes! Oh God, yes!"

XxXxXxX

"Maura… fuck… fuck… f-!" She buried her face into the pillow, hoping it would swallow her screams.

XxX

The moan of release was long and loud, escaping her mouth in a rush and echoing through the empty house. She didn't care. In fact, when she finally came back to Earth and the tremors subsided, the second sound to pass her lips was a laugh. Yesterday and tomorrow were forgotten, and only this moment of bliss remained.

'Told you,' her brain said, and she laughed again.

XxX

Jane lay still on the bed, her ears straining to hear any evidence that her activities went any farther than the four walls of her room. It seemed like it took forever for the blood to recede from her head and for her senses to return to normal, but she was pretty certain no one shared her mind-blowing orgasm except the reluctant bed. She grinned into the pillow.

"Holy shit," she whispered, and promptly fell to sleep.

XxX


	6. Chapter 6

The euphoria lasted until the day broke. When Jane rolled over and discovered her hand was still down her underwear, she was shamed not only by what she did, but by what she didn't do. Now, after last night's "events", she wasn't sure she had it in her to make the call or send the text.

" _Hey, remember me? That pushy security at the Lindy Keane after-party? Yeah, well, I just finished getting off with your image in my head and I thought I'd say "hey"."_

Jane groaned, but not with the same pleasure she did last night. "Why the fuck do I do this to myself?" Her phone buzzed and a new day on the road beckoned her before she could answer the question.

XxX

Maura on the other hand, while not skipping down a rainbow road, was more than relieved when the subtle chimes of her zen clock brought her to life. Yes, a nagging voice tried to make her feel guilty, but the benefits heavily outweighed the potential embarrassment. _And why not?_ Maura asked herself. _It's not as if anyone will find out, least of all the subject of my fantasy._ This afterthought- the realization she most likely would never see Jane again- promptly dampened her mood. Her phone rang and the name 'Rachel Traore' flashed on the screen, the final needle to deflate her bubble of joy.

 _There goes my day_ , she sighed before answering the call.

XxX

From a touring and ticket sales point of view, Minneapolis was a resounding success. So was Bismarck, Rapid City, Omaha and Kansas City. The travel days were long and more than once, Jane grumbled about travelling by bus.

"Keeps me grounded," Lindy told her. "Literally!"

"I guess I don't notice it on the coasts," Jane answered. "But shit, the middle of the country is a black hole."

"Those are my people, though," the singer said. "Salt of the earth, hard-working Americans."

Jane rolled her eyes. "You're from Boston. Your dad's a dentist and your mom's a corporate lawyer. You're starting to believe your own hype."

The words stung and Lindy jerked her head back as if she had been slapped. "What the fuck's crawled up your ass lately?"

Jane replayed her own words in her head and realized how they sounded. "Nothing," she said contritely. "Sorry." She confessed a half-truth: "We're swinging through New Orleans soon. I guess it's putting me on edge." She didn't have to explain why.

Lindy nodded and answered not unkindly, "I get it, Jane, I do. But is it going to be like this every time something comes up that reminds you of what happened?" Jane looked away and Lindy sighed. "Memphis is after Baton Rouge. Why don't you meet back up with us there? I'll get Tiny to take care of security in New Orleans."

Now it was Jane's turn to react as if she'd been slapped. "What? No! That's your solution? You think shipping me off to Tennessee is going to make it all go away?"

"That what will, Jane?" Lindy demanded. "I know this must be hard-"

"You have no fucking idea," Jane said, her voice dangerously low. What started as a means to deflect Lindy from prying about Maura suddenly turned into a long-overdue confrontation. She held up her hands. "Do you really know? Do you? She pinned me to her kitchen table with knives, Lindy."

Lindy's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I know, Jane."

"No, you don't know! You've read about it or you've been told about it. But you never asked me about it."

"Because you never wanted to talk about it!"

The truth in the accusation took some of the wind out of Jane's sails. The image of a hazel-eyed blonde on a balcony did the rest. She _did_ talk about it, just not to her childhood friend. Deflated, she bowed her head and dropped her hands. "Maybe you're right. Memphis is a third of the way through the tour. Maybe skipping New Orleans is the best idea."

"Jane…"

She ignored the unfinished plea in Lindy's voice. "I'll have a talk with Tiny and make sure the arrangements are straight." Before the singer had a chance to reply, Jane promptly turned and left the room.

XxX

Ten days had passed since Agent Traore appeared, and not one of those days got better. The push to find a clue and a suspect was always on the forefront, and the more pressure the media put on the FBI, the more it trickled down to the medical examiner's office. She wasn't sure how many times she had to explain the real time frame of test results versus their expectations. On more than one occasion, she had nearly come to blows with Agent Richards who had questioned her ability, sometimes outright and sometimes in veiled sarcasm. He was quick to comment on how much faster the FBI lab was, and it took everything in her not to tell him to take the case back to Quantico if they were so much better. It didn't help when they had to explain to the parents why they couldn't release their daughter's body until they had exhausted all avenues for physical evidence. The parents wanted closure, and it looked like the law enforcement only saw her as a guinea pig. The media were quick to jump on it, running with stories and headlines that accused the police of taking the parents' daughter from them again. A migraine had formed between Maura's temples, and the euphoria of 10 days ago seemed like a distant memory. Even Agent Traore who at first seemed like an ally had become another burr under her saddle.

"What do you mean we can't pinpoint where the kid drowned?"

Maura literally bit the tip of her tongue. Inhaling deeply, she asked, "Do you know how many miles of river flows through Massachusetts?"

"I don't want to hear-"

"4000," she continued, as if she hadn't been interrupted. "Do you know how many lakes and ponds are in the state?"

Traore sighed. "No, I do not."

"1000. Did you know we border an ocean?"

The agent couldn't help but smirk. "That much I do know."

"Then you'll know what we're facing. One sample from the victim needs to be compared with over half a million state samples. How long did it take New York to match the samples with their water supplies?" Maura feigned innocence though she knew the answer.

"Seven weeks," Traore muttered.

"Sorry, how long?"

Louder, the agent said, "Seven weeks. Okay, okay, you've made your point. But talking about water samples isn't going to make the parents feel any better."

"And badgering me for results isn't going to make the process any faster."

The two headstrong women faced each other, neither willing to give an inch. They didn't have to- their phones rang almost simultaneously.

Another body was found.

XxX

"Whaddya mean you're not going to New Orleans?" Tiny asked.

Jane shrugged. "Exactly what I said. I'll meet up with you in Memphis."

He looked across a table that was filled with paperwork, schedules and itineraries. "You decide this on your own?"

She fidgeted in her seat. "Let's say it was a mutual decision between me and Lindy."

"Uh-huh." He tipped his stool backwards, balancing on its two legs. "I'm not gonna judge you for that, you know."

"You never have."

"Nope. Never." He paused, the memory of what they shared clear in his face. Nodding, he said, "Whatever you gotta do, you do." He leaned forward again. "Speaking of which, you call your lady doctor yet?"

Groaning, Jane covered her eyes. "Oh, god. Leave it, would you?"

"Damn, Jane," he howled. "Whaddya waiting for? Listen, you're gonna have a free day between Tulsa and Memphis. Give her a call. God knows she probably needs it." She raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to explain. "Shit, don't you watch the news?" She tried not to blush at the memory of what happened the last time she watched the news. Oblivious, Tiny continued, "They found another body in Boston. Another kid. The media are all over this."

"Of course they are," Jane growled, remembering how tenacious they were after Cathy Brennan was taken into custody.

He nodded, also knowing all too well. "Looks like she's getting it from both sides. The media wants answers and the Feds are practically throwing her under the bus for not having any."

"Bastards. All of them."

He stood and straightened the papers. "She could probably use a friend… or whatever you two are."

She crumpled up a napkin and threw it at him. "Jerk."

He laughed. "But you'll call her, right?" I mean, I didn't give you that info for nothin'."

She drew in a deep breath and exhaled it loudly between pressed lips. "Yeah, fine." Seeing his narrowed gaze, she said, "I will!"

"All right. Tulsa's good to go. So sit back and sweet talk that lady doctor."

He got to the door when her voice called out, "Tiny." The big man turned at his name. "Thanks."

XxX

Alone in the room, she sat in her seat and looked out the highrise window. Her phone mocked her from the table, and she spun it around until it was annoying even to her. "Fine," she said to no one. Summoning up a courage she didn't really feel, she found Tiny's text and hit the link. It wasn't until the other end started ringing that she realized she didn't know what she was going to say. When the voicemail picked up, she wasn't sure if she was happy or disappointed.

" _... and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."_

*beep*

"Uh… hi?" She cringed at her hesitancy. "Hi. I know this is going to sound out of the blue, but it's Jane. Jane Rizzoli. From the balcony." She pulled the phone away from her mouth and groaned under her breath. "The balcony?" she whispered. "Anyway, I, uh… I wanted to say sorry about what happened… on the balcony. I mean, the leaving part. Everything else before that was…" A comforting warmth spread through her. "That was nice," she said, her voice softening. "I've been watching the news. I'm sorry. It's gotta be rough on you. I just thought, you know, I'd return the favor. You listened to me that night, and I don't know how you did it, but you got me talking." She chuckled into the phone. "And you know, don't tell my Ma, but she was right- once I got it out in the open, it felt like this huge weight was lifted. So if you need to lose some weight- that's a figure of speech! You don't need to lose weight. You look amazing!" Again, Jane pulled the phone away and smacked herself on the forehead. "I am totally doing this the wrong way. Let me try again."

She hung up and redialed, this time hoping for the voicemail.

*beep*

"Hi, this is the highly intelligent and confident Jane Rizzoli. You may remember me from the Lindy Keane concert." She laughed at her own stage voice. "Anyway," she continued, back to herself, "I wanted to try and make things right. If you're interested. We don't even have to talk about work. Whatever you want. I… I really hope you'll call, Maura."

She hit the disconnect button and hoped she had done the right thing.

XxX


	7. Chapter 7

Author's notes: Thanks to everyone who has left a review. Heck, thanks to everyone who's just reading this!

XxXxX

 _We don't even have to talk about work. Whatever you want. I… I really hope you'll call, Maura."_

It was the last thing she had expected when the voicemail rattled off an unknown number and played the message, and it wasn't until she heard the voice that she realized how much she'd needed to hear it. She was listening to it for the third time when Dennis Richards sauntered into the morgue.

"Nice to see you can smile while kids are getting murdered," he sneered.

She hadn't even been aware she was smiling. Immediately, she replaced it with a mask of professionalism. "Agent Richards. Has Agent Traore sent you to babysit me, or is there a more useful purpose to your visit?"

He scowled at the tone in her voice. "She told me-" He ran his tongue over his teeth and tried again. "I'm just here to see if you're following up on those water testings yet." His own tone stressed the last word.

"So it was the former," she replied. He raised an eyebrow. "Babysitting." Before he had a chance to object, she said, "If I had something to give the FBI, you can be assured it would have been on Agent Traore's desk first thing this morning. I was here all night, after all. And you?"

"Rachel sent us home at 7," he answered. "No sense running ourselves into the ground if there's nothing to go on."

"Well then, it's nice to see you can sleep while children are being murdered," she parroted. Though he gave her no reason to do so, she lowered her head briefly and apologized. "I'm sorry. Perhaps Agent Traore was on to something- about getting a good night's sleep." She inhaled deeply and tried something new. "While profiling is not my area of expertise, I did wonder if there was a connection between these murders and perhaps a case that happened in the past."

Though the sting of her rebuke still smarted, he leaned forward, his curiosity winning out. "What do you mean? Like a cold case?"

"Not necessarily. I mentioned two reasons I thought this person might be committing these crimes. One was infertility. We'd be hard pressed to find a lead if that's the case. However, the other might be due to the fact she's lost a child."

He looked off to the side and narrowed his eyes. "Okay," he said, "I think I'm following. You're saying the way her kid died and the way these kids died are connected. Connected by COD."

"I'm saying they could be," she corrected. "I really do hate to speculate."

"Her kid drowned," he went on. Realizing he ignored her caution, he shook his head. "No, this is good. If it doesn't turn out, it doesn't turn out. But we've got to follow every possibility, if only to rule it out." Despite his initial rudeness, he smiled. "That's some pretty good thinking, Dr. Isles."

The use of her professional name surprised her. He seemed to have gone out of his way to avoid using it since the first day they met. "Thank you, Agent Richards," she said. "I can only hope it ends up meaning something."

He nodded in agreement. "So we're looking for cases in the Northeast involving kids between 5-7 who drowned. Any idea when this might have happened? I mean, did she go off her nut straight away, or did it take years to lose it?"

Maura frowned in an attempt to decipher his question. "You mean, was her child's death recent?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know. I don't even know if any of this is fact."

"That's what I'm here for." He smiled again. "I'll start with 20 months ago, just before the first kid was found. Work back from there. I'll tell Traore you'll have the results when you have the results," he said, not unkindly.

"Thank you," she replied.

He got in one last jab before leaving, though this one lacked any malice. "You might want to call that person back," he said, pointing to the phone in her hand. "You deserve a break."

She fought the smile until he was out of sight. Grinning, she looked at the screen, and just as quickly as it arrived, the smile left. In her haste to end the call when Agent Richards entered the room, she had somehow deleted the message.

XxXxX

After the third day, Jane stopped hoping, if not to preserve her dignity, then because she had a job to do. Although she wasn't there, New Orleans hung heavily over her. She couldn't turn on a TV without seeing some "first anniversary" report of the day she only wanted to forget, so she did what she did best: she buried herself in her work. Memphis went off without a hitch, though it was clear to all those involved that Jane wasn't the same. Her voice got sharper and her attitude got harder, and she wasn't the only one who couldn't wait for the remaining 15 shows to be over. Now that they were clear of middle America and were 2 concerts short of swinging back up the East coast, travel days were shorter and concerts were closer together.

"Hard to believe we're halfway done, huh?" Tiny asked her while they looked over the plans for Nashville. "Once we get past Charlotte, it's gonna fly."

Jane took a sip from her travel mug. "Yeah."

"So what are ya gonna do after this, Jane? Lindy taking a break or what?"

She shrugged. "No idea. But... " she paused, realizing she hadn't shared this with anyone; she worried that saying it out loud would make it fact, when she was only in the 'thinking about it' stage.

"Yeah?"

"But… I think this is it for me."

His dark eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'this is it for me'?"

"I mean… I mean I can't do this forever. If I'm gonna make a move, I'm running out of time."

"So what are you gonna do?" he asked, genuinely curious.

She shrugged again. "I don't know. I thought, you know, I might look into law enforcement."

His face lit up. "A cop? You wanna be a cop?"

"Yeah, so?"

He stood up and came around the table to pull her into a bear hug. "That's great, Jane! That's great!" He put her down and examined her for damage. "It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?"

She had to admit it was true. "Yeah."

"Fuck, yeah!" he said with conviction, and it made her smile. "You gonna try for Boston?"

She hadn't thought much further than the end of the tour. Details were vague; she only knew she needed a change. The idea of being a cop in Boston brought up images of a certain medical examiner. "You know… we'll have to wait and see."

There was no fooling Tiny. He saw the deflection for what it was, and as was his right as one of her best friends, ribbed her mercilessly . "You could be Boston's Dynamic Duo with your lady doctor. 'Isles & Rizzoli, Crimefighters!'."

She groaned and covered her eyes. "Okay, first of all, it would obviously be 'Rizzoli & Isles'. Second… what am I saying? There's no second. There's no first!"

"All right," he nodded, relenting. "I was just thinkin' it be easier for me to get out of speeding tickets if you were close."

Slapping his arm, she said, "A traffic cop? Are you kidding me? I thought you had more respect for me than that!"

He laughed boisterously and began humming the theme to Batman.

XxXxX

It would be the only laugh she'd get over the next two weeks. What started as a flat tire at 3AM between Nashville and Charlotte became a domino of falling fortunes and moods. Food poisoning hit them in Washington, and despite her illness, Lindy insisted on performing. Though her fans didn't seem to notice, the critics were scathing, adding to the dark cloud that descended upon them. The Baltimore amphitheater was half full due to torrential rain, and Kent Braxton, her longtime drummer, broke his wrist falling in the shower.

And through it all, not a single response from Maura. Part of her couldn't be angry: it was clear the doctor was still up to her neck in the case in Boston. Though the nightly updates had stopped, the media salaciously moving on to the next tragedy, reports still trickled in when the Feds eeked out some information. But there was another part of her that felt… discarded. Discarded and foolish. Foolish for thinking a singular moment on a balcony could have meant so much to her, when it obviously didn't mean that much to Maura. So why _did_ it mean that much to her?

Tired of the hotel room, she slipped her phone in her jeans and stepped out into the hallway. Foregoing the elevator for the stairs, she went down double-time, relishing the demands it placed on her body. She would have gone to the hotel gym had the thought occurred to her before she left the room, but now, reaching the ground, she didn't want to turn around and go back for workout clothes, so instead, she kept going towards the conference rooms. She wasn't sure what she was looking for beyond a moment of peace and quiet. A sliver of time to get her head on straight.

The fourth door was slightly ajar and seemed as good a place as any. Popping her head in, she was pleased to find the room dark and empty. It didn't take more than a minute to find the light switch, and she was even more pleased to find she could dim the lights to her liking. Casting the room in a warm glow, she closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. When her eyes opened, they locked onto the piano in the far corner of the room.

Her fingers twitched immediately, even as the ache in her palms taunted her. It had been a long time since she had felt cool keys under her fingertips. Sure, Lindy's backup band had one, but it always faded into the background for Jane. She had more important things to do than become preoccupied with some instrument on the stage. But now, here alone, there was nothing between her and the piano, and like a magnet, she was drawn towards it. She slid onto the wooden seat and lifted the lid, the hinges barely making a sound, and rested her fingers almost reverently on the keys. They dusted over the white and the black, silently playing a melody, until at last, they pressed down. The sound almost made her jump in the quiet room, but now that they had started, her fingers would not be deterred. They quickly moved from a short warm up to a more complex piece, her hands and head working in seamless tandem, as if it hadn't been over a year since she had last played.

How long had she sat there and filled the room with music until she realized she didn't recognize the tune? She wasn't sure; she only knew something had poured out from her heart to her fingers. Quickly, she glanced around until she found some hotel stationery and a pen. Sitting back at the piano, she drew some quick lines, then began filling the bars with notes. She hummed, then played, played, then hummed until the paper was filled. She just started the second page when a soft cough caught her attention.

"Whatcha doin'?" Tiny asked from the door.

"Whatcha doin'?" she mimicked. "Besides trying to scare the shit of me."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, pushing away from the entranceway. "You're playing the piano again."

"Was I?" She placed her hands on her lap. "Almost forgot how."

"If that's you forgettin', I can't imagine what you sound like when you try." He pulled up a chair and sat beside the piano. "You used to play all the time."

"Yeah, well, those days are over."

He wasn't going to let her wallow. "Not from what I just heard. Good to hear something's got you playing again." She shrugged weakly and looked away. "Or should I say 'someone'?"

She examined her fingernails, but cautiously ventured, "Do you believe in love at first sight, Tony?"

"Uh-oh, this must be serious, usin' my first name and everything." When she didn't reply, he dropped the teasing. "Yeah, of course I believe in love at first sight. Been married to Vanessa for 15 years."

"You knew right away?"

"Hell yeah! She was with three of her girlfriends. I was buyin' something for my ma in some girly candle place. All four of these women give me the little eye flutter," he batted his eyes, "but only one really looked at me. Like she saw all of me in a single look, you know?"

His words hit so close to home she sucked in a breath. "Yeah," she answered, "yeah, I do know."

He tilted his head at the page. "Let me hear it again."

"No."

"C'mon. I already heard it; I just wanna hear it again. Play it again, Sam."

She groaned at the quote. "You know, he didn't even say that in the movie." His reply was a pointed stare, but she could be just as stubborn. "I said no."

"Okay," he sighed, standing. She looked away again in shame and he took advantage of her distraction by grabbing the paper.

"Hey!" she protested. "Give that back!" She stood, but even her height was no match for the 6'6" behemoth.

He held it up high, laughing all the while. "You might as well sit, girl."

She tried to jump one more time, but gave up. "Fine," she huffed, plopping onto the bench.

"Play," he told her. She refused with a sullen pout. "All right," he said. Then, with a bob of his head, he began to softly sing:

 _It's just me_

 _Wanting it all behind me_

 _But letting the past define me_

 _Hoping you'll come and find me_

 _It's just me_

 _It's just you_

 _It's just us_

When he got to the end of the line, he chuckled at her face. Mouth agape, she shook her head. "Where have you been hiding that voice all this time?"

His chuckle grew into a laugh. "After I married Vanessa, you know, had to keep it all under wraps, so's not to attract the ladies."

She couldn't help but laugh, too. "Right."

"Never mind that," he said, holding up the page. "This is good, Jane." Before she could roll her eyes, he pointed at her. "Stop. It's good."

"It's not done, so, you know, whatever."

"So let's finish it."

"What?"

He tapped her arm to get her to move over. "You and me. Like Ebony and Ivory."

"Oh, God."

He would not be denied. "Play."

XxXxX


	8. Chapter 8

The third press conference ended up being the last and definitely the most welcomed. The water tests had come in 2 days earlier, and the results, coupled with Agent Richards' dogged determination had blessedly turned up a suspect. After brainstorming with Maura, he had turned over every newspaper article and obituary in the 5 surrounding states over the last 5 years until he narrowed the potential lists of suspect to 7. Then 4. Then, at long last, to 1.

"We're very happy to inform the public we've made an arrest not only in the Maddie Schrivner case, but in the case of 3 other similar crimes," Agent Traore said, standing tall and proud at the podium. From behind, Maura was reminded of another strong imposing brunette. Oblivious to the doctor's thoughts, Traore continued, "My considerable thanks to the Boston Police Department and in particular, the medical examiner's office, for their assistance. It was through our collective interest in seeking out answers to these horrible crimes that we were able to bring justice to the victims and closure to their families."

It was clear the agent had done this before, and Maura envied her confidence.

"Do you have a name?" a reporter called out.

Traore's lips twisted into a smirk to bite back the obvious retort. "You mean, the suspect's name? Yes, but we'd rather not give it at this time. That will be up to the federal prosecutor."

"Was there one thing that broke the case?" another asked. "Or was it a number of things coming together?"

"A bit of both," she admitted. "We drew up a specific scenario that we thought was a very plausible one. Through endless investigation into the leads that went with that scenario, along with the scientific clues that narrowed down our options, we were able to zero in on the remaining evidence. Tracking down the suspect was then remarkably easy."

"You won't give a name, but can you give some details?"

"Such as?"

Well, how about 'why' for one thing?"

She nodded. "I understand your frustration, but please remember, I'm only interested in justice, not emotion."

"Dr. Isles!" someone called out. "What are your thoughts?"

Caught in the headlights, Maura froze, until Traore stepped aside and gestured to the podium. With a slight cough, she let the professional mask slip into place before speaking.

"As with Agent Traore, I, too, am only interested in justice. Emotions make science… difficult."

A light ring of laughter rippled over the crowd. "So explain it to us scientifically. Why does someone kill 4 children?"

She was about to protest the confusing nature of the question when she realized he, along with everyone else, just wanted answers. As a scientist, she could relate. Taking some pity on him, she began, "Psychological reasons aside, of which I wouldn't begin to claim much knowledge, we questioned the possible connection between the victims and the killer. The victims were all of similar age and died in very similar ways. Once we discovered the connection, we were able to determine the rest."

"And what was the connection?"

She glanced at Traore who gave her a warning look. Too much detail ran the risk of contaminating the case. Maura imperceptibly nodded. "We have theorized that the suspect had a child of their own, who sadly died in the same way the victims ultimately died."

There was a pause in the media gallery. "So what you're saying is, this person had a kid, the kid died and this person then went on to kill other kids the same way? Forgive me for saying, Dr. Isles, but that doesn't answer the question of 'why'. In fact, it only makes me ask it again."

Maura sympathized. "To summarize as best I can, we believe the killer tried to recreate the manner in which their child died, hoping to…" she floundered as she often did when emotion was involved.

Traore mercifully stepped in. "Hoping to make up for not saving their own child."

"And they didn't realize how crazy they were after 4 kids?" a reporter said.

"I can't comment, as 'crazy' doesn't fall under my scientific purview," Maura said.

Traore held up her hands. "That's all we're willing to say for now. Obviously, more information will be made available over the next few days and weeks as we are allowed to reveal it. Again, my thanks to all those involved who helped with what was often a very difficult case. Thank you."

They stepped off the small platform, cameras flashing at their backs. Once they reached the quietness of the BPD entrance way, Traore turned to Maura and extended a hand.

"I suppose this is it," the agent said. "Perhaps we'll meet again."

"At the trial, no doubt," Maura replied. "I'll likely be called upon to explain the water and the drugs in the victims' system."

Traore shook her head. "Out of all of it, I think that bothers me the most: drugging the kids before throwing them in the water. That implies coherent thought. She knew what she was doing."

Maura had to agree. "Considering no drugs were in her own child, yes, I'd say she knew. But how else do you get a child to go along with a drowning attempt? She had to incapacitate them in order to try and 'save' them."

Traore blew a sharp breath of disgust. "If she had only been sane enough to measure the amount of drugs."

"If only she had been sane."

The agent nodded forlornly. "Anyway, again, thank you. Sorry you had to deal with Richards. He's a good agent. He's just-"

""He just uses his abrasive personality to shield himself from the horrors of the job," Maura finished, not unkindly. "I understand. In the end, it all worked out. That's what matters."

Smiling, Traore agreed. "You did great work. If there's ever anything I can do, don't hesitate to ask."

Maura looked down at the card extended to her. She flicked the corner twice before saying, "Would it be too forward if I asked you now?"

The brunette laughed. "I'm afraid to say I'm married."

The flush burned Maura's cheeks, but she ploughed ahead. "I need a phone number."

XxXxX

"Hard to believe it's almost over, huh?" Lindy asked, playfully nudging Tiny as he watched the sound crew set up for the concert.

The big man gave one shake of his head and whistled. "Time flies, man, time flies."

Looking around, Lindy noted an absence. "Where's Jane?"

Tiny snorted. "I told her to have a nap. She's probably somewhere growling, but at least she's out of my hair. Gettin' on my tits, that girl."

Lindy's brow furrowed. "She hasn't been right all tour. You know why?"

He knew Lindy would never fully understand what Jane went through that fateful night a year ago, and he would never broach the topic with her out of respect for Jane. So instead, he offered something that was just as plausible without being as deeply personal. "Besides a certain pretty blonde in Chicago? No. No idea." He winked.

Lindy's mouth dropped. "Is she still on about that? Oh my God. I knew it. I knew it." She grinned at the memory. "She got all defensive at the whiff of me trying to set her up, and here all this time, she's been ripping off people's heads because of her?"

Tiny felt compelled to come to Jane's defense. "You know, I think she's serious."

"Really?" The singer's humour faded immediately. "I mean, that's great! God, how long have we hounded her to meet someone? And she seemed like a really nice person. The blonde, I mean."

"Maura Isles," Tiny supplied.

"Right, Maura Isles. Her sister's Cailin. Nice kid." Lindy rubbed her forehead in amazement. "Wow. So what's the story? She got the VIP pass, so you've got to have her contact info."

"Yep. And I made sure I gave it to Jane."

"Who didn't bother to use it," Lindy finished.

"I dunno," he said. "I think she did, just goin' by her mood when we hooked up in Memphis."

"I thought that was because of… you know… New Orleans."

He nodded. "Yeah, no doubt that was part of it, but I think there was more goin' on."

She bumped him with her hip, silently asking him to move over so she could lean against the wall beside him. They watched the crew go about their business, efficient and methodical. They were lost in their own thoughts for a while, thinking about the show, the job, the tour, and their friend. Suddenly, Lindy looked at Tiny.

"You've been humming that song for the last few days. What is it?"

"Hmmm?" he asked, his attention still on the crew.

She repeated the tune and asked again. "That song. What is it?"

By the time he realized where the conversation was going, it was too late, but he tried anyway. "Uh, I'm not sure. Probably heard it on the radio."

"No, I don't think so, since it's part of my job to kinda know what's on the top 40." Humming it again, she said, "So. Spill it." A light dawned in Lindy's face. "Is Jane writing again?" Giving him a minute to decide his answer, she said, "You know she wrote 3 of the songs on my first album. Didn't take writing credit for them because she was too embarrassed."

"Heard you're giving her royalties anyway."

"Of course I am. Even if she wasn't my best friend, 'Well-Worn Boots' was my first #1 hit. She deserved it, even if she didn't think so. So… she writing again?"

"Linds…"

She ignored his plaintive protest. "Stay right there." Spotting a nearby guitar, she slung the strap over her shoulder and returned to his side. After two false starts, she landed on a chord to her satisfaction. She hummed and strummed, breathing acoustic life into the tune. "That sound about right?" His lack of reply was his surrender. "Has she written lyrics to this yet?"

"Man, I am in so much trouble!"

XxXxX

"... and that was 'Blanket Under the Stars', from Lindy Keane's first album, 'Nothing to Lose'. Welcome back to The Dangerous Dave Morning Show, along with my trusty sidekick Pete Benson, and today, we've got the lady herself, Ms. Lindy Keane. How are you?"

"I'm really good, how about you guys? I have to say, this is one of the cleanest studios I have ever been in."

The radio DJs laughed in unison. "That's because we were told four days ago you were coming," Dave said boisterously.

"Hey, I'll take the credit," Pete said. "We had four days but left it 'til 6am this morning!"

"So if you see anything…objectionable, our apologies."

"I travel by tour bus. I've seen it all!" Lindy said, much to the room's amusement.

"Which gets us right back on track," Dave said. "You're on tour. Just about finishing it up though, right?"

"Yep," she replied. "Another 5 shows and it's all over. Until the next one!"

"You purposely made it a shorter tour in smaller venues. How did you like that?" Pete asked.

Lindy beamed. "Oh, I loved it. Would definitely consider doing it again."

"We played 'Blanket under the Stars', which was your biggest #1 to date. But that's been beaten by your new song, 'Everybody Knows'. That's gotta be exciting, huh?"

"I love it. And the best part is, the fans love it, too. It's such a great feeling when all those things come together at once."

Pete nodded. "We were going to play that, but I was told you wanted to play something else?"

For the first time in the interview, Jane's attention woke up. Tiny shifted beside her and she pinned him with a look. He swallowed audibly.

"Oh shit," he whispered.

Lindy didn't notice the discord taking place between her security people. She adjusted the guitar strap and settled behind the microphone. "I thought I'd play something brand new, if that's all right?" The DJs laughed at the rhetorical question. "It's still pretty rough; I haven't had a lot of time to smooth out the edges."

"It's that new, huh?"

"A few days old, in fact."

Dave smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Well, all right. Whenever you're ready."

XxXxX

The last note of the chord rang through the tiny studio and everyone was silent for a moment. Dave blinked, remembering they were on air and he coughed before saying, "Wow. For those just tuning in, you missed a real treat. In the studio with us is country music star Lindy Keane who just performed a brand new song. And I gotta tell you, I think this will be your next number one."

"Thank you so much," Lindy said. "It was a real pleasure."

"Will your fans get a chance to hear this on the rest of the tour?" Pete asked.

"We'll see," she replied. "Needs some polishing, but we'll see."

Dave shook his head. "If that needs polishing, I can't wait to hear it when it's done. In the meantime, we got to hear it now, and we're awfully grateful for it. Thank you so much, Lindy. Come on by any time. And for those listening, if you don't have tickets to tonight's show, and if you didn't win them from us, better luck next time! The weather's up next."

He clicked the button and slid the headphones off. "That really was great, Lindy. We're going to get a lot of people calling in."

She shook hands and smiled. "Thank you so much for the support. You guys have been around since the beginning. I don't forget."

She posed for some photos and signed some autographs while Jane glowered in the corner. Tiny made an attempt to escape, but Jane's grip was iron. Finally, the small crew dispersed and it was business as usual. Lindy strolled over to the pair and grinned.

"What the hell was that all about?" Jane hissed under her breath.

Lindy's grin slipped slightly. "What was what all about?"

Jane dragged Tiny towards the Green Room, signalling with her eyes for Lindy to follow. Once they were alone in the quiet waiting room, she spun around to the singer. "That!" she said, jabbing a finger towards the studio. "That song." She shot a glare at Tiny. "How could you?"

"Jane, I-"

"It's not his fault," Lindy interrupted. "He was humming it and I hounded him until he gave in. Jane, it's beautiful."

Too consumed with anger, she ignored the compliment. "Both of you... " she struggled for words. "Do you know how betrayed I feel? Do you even care?" She directed her last comment to Lindy.

"Of course I care. We both do. This wasn't meant to embarrass you. It was meant to help you get these… whatever… feelings out." Lindy waved her hands around aimlessly. "I don't know what has happened to you since Chicago, but this… this is beautiful and from the heart, and she needs to know it."

The unspoken name of 'she' hung in the room. Jane blew out an angry defeated breath. "Yeah, well, I tried." She looked at Tiny. "Yeah, I called her. Left a message. She never called back. So forgive me if I want to take this 'beautiful and from the heart'," she mimicked, "and shove it up someone's ass." She turned to the door. "I'll meet you guys on the bus."

She heard Tiny call out her name, but she kept walking, grateful when the elevator arrived immediately and she could be left alone. Her heart was racing, the anger fading into disappointment. The tour can't be over fast enough, she thought. The dark cloud followed her out of the elevator and into the street. The fresh air did nothing to lift her mood.

Then her phone buzzed.

Thinking it was Lindy or Tiny, she almost ignored it, but her professionalism won out, and she pulled the phone from her pocket. The display caught her off guard. A Boston area code and a phone number that looked vaguely familiar. She swiped a thumb across the screen to open the message.

 _Hi, it's Maura. Maura Isles._

XxXxX


	9. Chapter 9

AN: A short one, but we're rolling towards the end now. :)

XxXxX

 _Hi, it's Maura. Maura Isles._

 _I know this must seem out of the blue considering how much time has passed since your call. I hope you'll forgive me, but believe it or not, I lost your phone number. Inadvertently deleted your message, in fact. Anyway…_

Jane could almost hear the pause.

 _I hope I'm doing the right thing by reaching out to you. Normally, I would call but I'm not sure how this will be received. Perhaps I'm a bit of a coward. Regardless of how this turns out, I wanted you to know I have thought about that night many times. It's been a very difficult few weeks and the memory was a rare sliver of brightness during those days. Well… I hope this message does the same for you._

Jane re-read the texts three times, willing herself to actually read the words, not just skim them in excitement. After the third read through, she took a deep breath to contemplate her next move. Though she knew texting would help curb her foot-in-mouth disease, she didn't have the patience to type out a long response, so instead, she tapped out a simple question.

 _Can I call you?_

The reply was almost immediate.

 _Yes. Please._

Jane clicked on the contact number. The phone rang twice before Maura picked up.

"Dr. Isles."

"That's an imposing 'hello'," Jane said.

"Oh! I'm sorry. It's just habit."

"No, I like it. Very direct." Before the silence could get awkward, Jane said, "I heard you caught that killer in Boston. The one with the kids."

"Oh?"

She cleared up the confusion. "I saw you on the news. Great job."

"Ah, right. The media." The word dripped with disdain. "In the end, it all worked out for the best, so I suppose they're a small price to pay." There was another small silence. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

Shaking her head, Jane replied, "Don't worry about it. Hard to track me down without a phone number, and besides, you had more important things to do."

"More important professional things, yes."

The distinction between 'professional' and 'personal' lingered between them unspoken, and it warmed Jane. "Hey, how _did_ you track me down anyway?"

There was a soft embarrassed cough from the other end. "I may have… procured the information from a federal agent."

"The FBI?" Jane laughed. "You got my number from the feds?"

"Well, I… I didn't know how else to go about it," Maura weakly defended. "Agent Traore was very happy with my work, and when I asked for her help, she was more than happy to give it."

"Yeah, I bet she was happy to give it," Jane snorted.

It took Maura a moment to decipher the double entendre. "She's married!" Her laughter tickled Jane's ear. "Besides, I'm only interested in one tall, attractive brunette."

The flattery burned Jane's cheeks. "Oh yeah?" she said, covering up her embarrassment with bravado.

"Yeah," Maura echoed.

Shared laughter spread between them.

"I can't believe I'm talking to you," Jane said. Hearing the words, she quickly corrected herself. "No. I mean, I wondered if we'd ever get to talk again, and here we are."

"Should I get used to the unexpected happening between us?" Maura asked. "It seems like it's been a series of surprises since the moment we met."

"It's usually not this hard, I promise."

"Mmm. Well, we've had our fair share of outside influences, haven't we?"

"Yeah. And I don't know about your job, but mine's only got another week, so… maybe we can start over?"

Maura's voice was soft and rich. "I'd like that." Jane heard the doctor's name being called out and sure enough, Maura apologized, "I've got to go. The paperwork on this case should take me into the next millennium."

Jane chuckled. "The last concert is back in Boston. Will you… will you come?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

XxXxX

They sat in the dressing room, with 6 minutes to spare before the curtain went up on the show. Lindy was going through some relaxation techniques while Jane stood, arms crossed, leaning against the door. Despite the euphoria of the phone call, the resentment of the morning simmered beneath the surface.

"So that's it?" Lindy asked, unfolding herself from a yoga pose that resembled a pretzel. "I'm going to get the silent treatment for the rest of the tour?"

"It's only 4 more shows. You'll live."

"Jane, c'mon. I know you're mad about the radio thing. But how many times can I say I'm sorry?"

"Oh, I don't know. Why don't we pick a number and go from there? How about 100?"

"Jane…"

She used her shoulders to push away from the door, but instead of going towards Lindy, she walked to the drink table and cracked open a bottle of water. The liquid cooled her throat and her temper.

"Do you get how personal that was for me?"

"I do now, Jane, I really do." Lindy cautiously stood beside her. "Talk to me. I've never seen you like this. I had no idea. I mean, as far as I knew, you two were just… you just met."

She looked at her watch. "We've got 3 minutes." Softening the edge in her voice, she confessed, "I can't explain it, okay Linds? That's why I put it in a song. A song, by the way, that you will not be singing tonight. Or tomorrow. Or the show after that. Understand?"

Lindy wrapped her arms around Jane, much to the brunette's chagrin. "I get it. I don't get you sometimes," she growled playfully, giving a hard squeeze. "But I get it." Pulling away, Lindy smiled. "Tiny told me he gave you the contact info, so… I think you should go get it, too."

Jane couldn't prevent the little laugh that escaped her lips when she saw Lindy wiggle her eyebrows. "You're going to be late," was all she said.

She opened the door and they were greeted by the muffled roar of the crowd.

XxXxX

As stressful and crazy as a tour could be, no matter what the size and the length, the last few days always arrived before anyone expected it.

"Washington tonight and Boston tomorrow," Lindy marvelled. "Hard to believe it's almost over."

The sat in the rafters of the small arena, watching the crew work efficiently below them. In the midst of personal appearances and media responsibilities, it was nice to get an hour of quiet. Lindy swung her legs back and forth while Jane leaned her arms on a low railing. Her gaze took in everything, but she couldn't deny her eyes, at least figuratively, were on the future, too.

"Oh, I can hear the Rizzoli hamster working hard," Lindy joked.

Jane lifted her chin from her arms. "What? Oh. Nothing. Just thinking."

"Already thinking of the next tour, huh?"

She couldn't be anything other than honest. "Actually, Linds, we should probably talk about that."

Lindy sighed dramatically. "Do we have to? I haven't even gotten through this one yet."

"No, that's not what I mean." She waited until she had Lindy's full attention. "I mean, I think I'm done." She shook her head. "No. I'm done."

Lindy frowned. "Done what? What do you mean?"

"I mean, there's not going to be a next tour. Not for me."

Jane might as well have slapped the singer. Lindy laughed in disbelief. "What are you going to do?" she asked. "You've been doing this for almost 10 years. You love it."

"No," Jane replied, "I love _you_. We've been through it all, Linds, but that would have been the same no matter what you did."

Lindy took a long time to process the news. Finally, she asked, "So now what?"

"So now, you're going to put Tiny in charge and go on with your crazy career," she smiled.

"What about you?"

Jane looked down at the stage. "I graduated the Academy. Thinking, I dunno, I might see if BPD is hiring."

Lindy blinked, mouth agape. "You… a cop, Jane?"

With a half-hearted shrug, she said, "Yeah. Maybe a detective. I don't know."

The singer didn't want to believe it. "You'll miss it."

Jane nodded, conceding the point, if only partially. "I'll miss some of it, yeah."

"I'll pay you double."

Her laugh was deep. "It's not about the money."

"Then what's it about? We have a good thing going, don't we?" Jane nodded. "So what is it?" Lindy searched Jane's face for an answer. "Wait. Is this about-" she pulled the name from her memory, "Maura? She's something to do with the police, isn't she? Her sister said something."

"Medical examiner," Jane filled in. "No, it's not about her. I mean, I guess part of it is. But I'm doing this for me, first."

The two old friends sat in silence for a long time. The crew below went about their business, laughing and shouting, oblivious to the changes above them, while Lindy and Jane quietly played out their friendship in their memories. The good times, the crazy times, even the bad times. A chapter was closing on their friendship, but despite the melancholy, there was a sliver of excitement that new beginnings always brought with them.

Lindy put her arm around Jane and slid closer. Leaning her head on Jane's shoulder, she said, "Don't tell Tiny I offered you double."

The serious tone was betrayed by Lindy's smirk, and their laughter filled the air.

XxXxX


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: There will be an epilogue!

XxXxX

The UPS man delivered the envelope with a smile. "Doesn't feel like a body part or organ, Dr. Isles."

Though his quip was slightly facetious, Maura couldn't deny he often delivered the most unusual packages. Signing for the mail, she thanked him and waited until he left before looking at the envelope. Her eyebrows pressed together when she saw no return address. Erring on the side of caution, she slipped gloves onto her hands and reached for her letter opener. With a careful slice, she cut through the seal and gently dumped the contents onto the desk.

She burst out laughing.

Her concern was for naught, because though she had received many unsavory things in the past from even more unsavory people who tried to prevent her from helping the police, this was not one of those times. Far from it. Spilled across her desk were 2 tickets and a note. She peeled off the gloves before unfolding the crisp white paper. The letterhead was from a very high-priced hotel in Washington, a fact for which the writer immediately apologized.

 _Feels cheap to be using the hotel stationery but it was the only thing I could McGyver_ , the note began, much to Maura confusion.

 _I know it's short notice but I guess we shouldn't be surprised. So far, everything about us has been random and quick. Hopefully that won't always be the case. (I almost started over because that sounded dirty but you know what? I'm leaving it.)_

Maura felt her cheeks burn.

 _So there's 2 tickets for tonight, unless the UPS guy stole them! In that case, dust this for prints and send it off to Agent Traore. She'd like that._

The burn got hotter.

 _I was only going to send you 1, partly because I don't want you to bring anyone and partly because I could get a lot of money for it, but it's not fair to ask you to go alone. I guess. It's up to you. But we split the money if you end up selling it._

For the 2nd time since receiving the envelope, she laughed out loud.

 _I'm really looking forward to seeing you again, Maura._

 _-J._

She ran her finger along the edge of the paper and smiled. "So am I," she whispered.

XxXxX

Having been to the arena once already with Caillin, Maura found it much easier to weave her way through the crowd to her seat at the front. She felt somewhat guilty for deciding to come alone, leaving the second ticket on the counter at home, but she knew this wasn't just a concert; it was the start of something more that she needed to face on her own. The thought made her nervous, but the potential made her brave.

She silently apologized to the opening act for missing their show, having thought a later arrival wouldn't make the wait seem so long. Ten songs into Lindy's set list, Maura began contemplating time dilation. If her previous Lindy Keane concert experience taught her anything, there were still 10 songs to go and 3 encores. She knew it was impossible based on her current position in the universe, but the idea of time slowing down seemed to be more than a theory. She tried to pass the time by scanning the stage for a sign of Jane, but she searched in vain. She thought she caught a glimpse of Tiny, but nothing more.

All good things to those who wait, she told herself as Lindy broke into song #11.

XxXxX

"I'm always thankful to get the chance to do the things I love," Lindy told the crowd. "But it's even better when I get to do those things in front of my hometown. I love you, Boston!" The crowd roared its love right back. "Now, I know what you're all expecting, and I'm going to get to that soon, but before I leave you with 'Well-worn Boots', I've got one more for you. Y'all might have heard me sing it on the radio." The crowd roared again. "I can't think of a better bunch of people to share it with tonight. But first, I've got to have a piano player." Thousands of fans volunteered, much to Lindy's delight. "All of you can play piano, huh? Well, I'm grateful for the help, but I kinda have someone in mind." She turned to the side of the stage. "Jane Rizzoli, get out here."

Jane had been prowling the venue all night, trying to forget this would be her last night, trying to shake off the nerves that this would be her first real night with Maura. She had just arrived at the stage when she got the call-out. She looked across the hardwood to Tiny. "What the fuck's she doing?" she growled into her headset.

"Dunno," he replied, the laughter in his voice doing nothing to quell her annoyance.

She waved Lindy off, but it was too late. The crowd was expecting her, and the lighting operator swung a spotlight to the side of the stage. She was caught. Refusing to smile, she stalked towards Lindy who was pretending not to notice her discomfort. She made it halfway across the stage when Lindy stepped to the side and gestured towards the grand piano.

"You promised," Jane hissed.

"I promised to not sing it 'tonight. Or tomorrow. Or the show after that'," she quoted. "That covered 3 nights. This is 4." Turning to the crowd, Lindy beamed. "Don't let her serious face fool you- she wrote this song for someone very special, and I feel privileged to be able to sing it." She slid the guitar strap over her shoulder, and when Jane begrudgingly gave a nod, the two instruments began as one.

XxXxX

Maura stood transfixed. She had no idea of the song Lindy was referring to, though she was certain if Caillin had been standing at her side, she would. She also had no idea Jane was musically inclined. And she definitely didn't know how much she missed the brunette until she watched her stroll to the piano. Jane struck the same image she had the first time they met all those nights ago: dark hair pulled into a ponytail that revealed a serious countenance, a no-nonsense grey suit that was more business than it was fashion. But it was this very sameness that drew Maura gaze. There was something compelling about Jane that didn't need styling or clothing or disguise. She was who she was, there for all to see. The honesty was magnetic.

Maura gave her head a small shake. The song had begun, and her attention returned to the moment. Words spilled from Lindy's mouth like a gentle rain, soft and heartfelt as the piano created the staircase to the chorus. Maura watched Jane's hands tap a musical Morse code along the ivory keys. She swallowed the lump in her throat at the thought of what those hands had gone through.

 _It's just me_

 _Wanting it all behind me_

 _But letting the past define me_

 _Hoping you'll come and find me_

 _It's just me_

 _It's just you_

 _It's just us_

The words seeped into her chest and curled around her heart. 'Letting the past define me'. She knew those were her words to Jane on the balcony that night, spoken as a gentle caution against living with her ghosts. The fact Jane had remembered them, too… she drew in a shaking breath and smiled.

At that moment, she made eye contact with Jane.

XxXxX

Her fingers stumbled over the E chord, but she figured no one would notice. She had gone the entire concert not looking at the seats she had offered Maura. Despite her own personal life, she still had a job to do and knew it would only distract her to know Maura was in the crowd. But now, hearing the words she had written being sung so honestly by Lindy, she couldn't help but look up from her seat.

She found Maura immediately.

And just like that, the weeks disappeared and nothing was left but now. Maura's smile was wide and bright, full of hope and promise. The chorus came around again, and this time, she sang along, low enough to not be heard by the microphone, but loud enough in her heart that she felt she was singing from the rooftops.

XxXxX

Lindy did indeed end the concert with 'Well-worn Boots', though for Maura, Lindy could have sung the BCU fight song and she wouldn't have noticed. She wasn't one to use much imagery in her vocabulary, but she wondered if this was what people meant by 'walking on cloud nine'. Her lightheadedness certainly didn't make it seem like she was grounded.

The house lights went up and the crowd began to disperse. When the curtain had come down, she had lost track of Jane. Having been part of the after-concert before, she knew there were a hundred small jobs that needed to get done behind the scenes. For a moment, she felt a bit lost until she saw a familiar face on the stage.

"Mr. Tiny!" she called out.

The big man looked around for the source of the humorous moniker. "Hey!" he shouted, seeing her at last. He waved her over, and when she hesitated, he gestured harder. "C'mon!"

She weaved through the barricade until she looked up at him. When he held out his hand to help her up, she laughed.

"You are not pulling me on to the stage!"

"Aren't I?" He wiggled his eyebrows and his fingers.

Glancing around, she threw caution to the wind, placing her hand in his. "Oh!" she exclaimed as he pulled her up with ease.

He looked her over. "Okay?"

Maura was about to reply when she was interrupted by a playful voice.

"Stage invaders, hey, Tiny?"

"They come in all sizes," he replied with a grin. He watched the silent interaction between the women. "I'll leave you to figure out what to do with this one." He walked past Jane and winked. "You got this."

Though there were still crew members and fans milling about, both Maura and Jane stood as if they were the only two people in the place. At last, Maura broke the comfortable silence.

"So… what are you going to do with this one?"

The possibilities seemed endless and not entirely without a sly suggestiveness. Jane laughed out loud.

"Depends," she said. "Do you have a good reason for jumping the stage?"

"I came here to find you."

The double-meaning of the words weren't lost on Jane, and in three long strides, she had Maura in her arms.

Hidden behind the curtain at the side of the stage, Lindy and Tiny watched the reunion unfold. The singer beamed.

"Look at her!"

"Look at them," Tiny corrected.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm gonna miss her."

"What? You still got me."

Lindy put her arm around him and hugged him tightly. "I sure do."

"Now, what's this I heard about you paying me double?"

Her head snapped around to the pair. "Jane!"

XxXxX


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: An epilogue for Valentine's Day. Just getting it in on time! Thank you to everyone for their kind words and support! We'll see what the future holds. This chapter is rated 'M'.

XxXxX

When it came to discussing anniversaries and what to do about them, it was Maura who suggested a trip.

Jane tossed her patrolman's hat onto the marble counter and dropped onto the stool with a groan. "Really?" she grimaced. "I don't know if I have the energy to walk to the bathroom, and you're talking about taking a trip? Besides, I worked for Lindy for a decade. I've done enough travelling to last a lifetime."

Placing a welcoming coffee in front of Jane, Maura said, "You haven't travelled with me. We won't go far, I promise."

"So no exotic island?"

"Not unless you want it. Do you?"

Jane curled her fingers around the cup. "Part of me is screaming 'Yes!' The other part is just screaming."

Maura offered a sympathetic murmur. A year had passed since the night of the concert, and since then, life had been a whirlwind. Jane had been accepted by the BPD and was thrown right into Traffic. ("Tiny will be so happy," she had grumbled at the time.) Maura had been called in by the FBI to assist with a killer who had left a trail of victims from Massachusetts to Florida. And among those professional requirements, they found time to learn about each other. They stumbled a few times in the early days, discovering who they were as people along with who they were as a couple. But it didn't take long to find a rhythm, to tap into that intangible connection they had right from the start. Within 6 months, Jane had moved into Maura's Beacon Hill home.

"It won't be forever, you know," Maura assured.

"Yeah, I know. I'm getting to shadow Korsak more and more. He'll put a good word in for me the first sign of an opening in Homicide."

Maura kissed Jane's forehead. "I know that's what you want. It just takes time."

Jane nodded before taking a satisfying drink of her coffee. "So a trip, huh? Where to?"

"It's a surprise."

"So you've already planned it?"

Maura tried her best to hide her guilt but failed miserably. "I can always cancel."

Reaching up, Jane stroked the back of her knuckles against Maura's cheek. "Don't cancel. But you can't keep it a secret- I'll know when we get to the airport."

"Then I choose to keep it a secret until we get to the airport." Her tone was so adamant that it made Jane laugh.

"Okay, okay." Her bones protested when she stood. "In the meantime, can you help me make the trip to the shower?"

XxXxX

"Chicago, huh?"

Maura blushed. "It seemed appropriate for our first year." She looked out the cab window, the city lights twinkling in the night. "I'll always look at Chicago differently now."

Jane took Maura's hand. "In a good way, I hope!"

Her attention returned to Jane. "In the best way."

The car pulled up to the hotel, and when Jane discovered their destination, she chuckled. "Why does this look so familiar, I wonder?"

Maura fought the smile. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Uh-huh."

It was the 5-star hotel where they had first met. Not only that, Maura had gone so far as to book the exact same room, much to Jane's amused disbelief. They entered the suite, dropped the bags, and fell into each other's arms.

"I can't believe you did this," Jane said between kisses. "It's perfect."

"I would have asked Jasper Cartier to show up, just to make it complete, but-"

"You wouldn't dare," Jane growled, nipping at Maura's neck.

"Come on," Maura said, taking Jane's hand. "We haven't much time. I want to make the most of it."

It was true- Jane's job didn't allow any more time off than the weekend, which was why they had left Boston late that Friday evening. They were both exhausted from the week, but were determined to take advantage of all the time they were given. Maura led Jane on to the balcony, where candles, champagne and a neatly folded blanket greeted them. Jane looked at the table, then to Maura.

"You had this all set up."

"I may have given the concierge an unusually large gratuity for his troubles," Maura admitted. "But if your face is any indication, it was worth it."

Jane wrapped her arms around Maura. "I don't remember all of this that night."

Swaying her body into Jane's, she confessed, "No, you're right, it's not entirely accurate." She tilted her head upward, taking Jane's lips between her teeth. "There were things we didn't get to do that night. I'd like to rectify that oversight."

Jane's chuckle was warm and deep. "Is that what you call not making out on the balcony? An oversight?"

"Unforgivable error." She undid one of Jane's buttons. "Unfortunate mistake." Another button. "Inexplicable omission." Another. "Unforeseen blunder."

The shirt was now open entirely and the cool air across her bare skin made Jane shiver. "Yeah. All those."

"I plan on correcting all of them."

The promise took away whatever breath Jane had left, leaving her to do nothing but nod. Maura took the gesture as a sign to continue, running her fingers down Jane's ribcage to her belt. Wasting no time, she unlatched the metal clip and popped the button in the process. If Jane thought Maura was going in one direction, that was quickly corrected when her hands slid back up and possessively cupped Jane's breasts, causing her to inhale sharply. There was a time when Jane would never have thought of herself as 'belonging' to someone else, but Maura made sure to change her mind. Gone were the days of being tentative and shy; a year spent exploring each other banished all self-doubt.

"You know," Jane said, "had I known we were going to… to end up here, I would've worn something-" She gasped when Maura lightly pinched her nipples. "Something sexier."

"Why?" Maura whispered in Jane's ear. "It's just going to end up on the floor."

The bravado made Jane laugh. "I'll remember that when I see your next Victoria's Secret bill."

Maura latched her mouth at the soft skin under Jane's ear. "You don't like my lingerie?"

"No. I mean, that's not what I meant. I meant…" Maura began to pepper a trail of kisses down Jane's neck. "I meant that's not what I meant."

"You meant that's not what you meant?" Maura repeated playfully, her hands unlatching the bra while her mouth hovered over aching nipples.

"Yes. No. I have no fucking idea."

With a light push, Maura maneuvered Jane against the balcony railing, smiling while her tongue devilishly circled around the hardened tips until at last she put the brunette out of her misery.

"Shit!" Jane moaned.

It was over all too quickly for Jane's liking when Maura pulled away and stepped back until her legs hit the table. Pointing from head to toe, she commanded, "Off."

For the first time, Jane seemed to realize where they were, because she looked around the open balcony. "Here? Out here?"

Parting her legs ever so slightly, Maura slowly ran a hand up her thigh, under her tight dress. When she moaned softly, it didn't take much for Jane to figure out what she was doing.

"Fuck yeah out here," Jane corrected herself, working quickly to remove her clothing.

Satisfied at the response, Maura reached for the folded blanket and casually dropped it at Jane's feet, but not before taking a moment to drink in the sight of the naked brunette. "You're gorgeous." Before Jane had a chance to protest, Maura placed her finger on Jane's lips, silencing any denial. Almost as if that finger had a mind of its own, it began a trail from Jane's mouth to her collarbone, between her breasts to her navel, where it waited for Maura's mouth to catch up. Kneeling on the blanket, she looked up at Jane. Faint moonlight and flickering candles danced across her face, and soft shadows obscured Jane from getting a clear view, but her eyes were with filled with desire and delicious intent that shone brightly in the dark.

Reaching behind her, Maura pulled a chair close and with a slowness that ran counter to the wanton need that simmered below the surface, she lifted Jane's foot and placed it on the seat. The cool air that caressed Jane's wet center was quickly replaced by Maura's warm mouth, causing Jane to nearly jump out of her skin.

"Jesus!"

Maura's chuckle reverberated through the most sensitive part of Jane, and the brunette reached down, her hand blindly resting in Maura's thick blonde hair. The grip intensified when Maura's tongue flicked across Jane's clit. With one hand in Maura's hair and the other curled around the balcony rail, Jane unabashedly jerked her hips forward, looking for more despite not knowing what that was. But Maura seemed to have the answer. Without warning, she slowly slid two fingers inside her, causing Jane to arch backward at the sensation. Words were reduced to moans from both the woman receiving and the woman giving. The chair squeaked its way across the stone floor as Jane's desire became more and more overt, her hips grinding shamelessly against Maura's willing mouth. Circling her free hand around Jane's waist, she encouraged the brunette even more, knowing Jane was edging ever closer to release. When she felt Jane tighten around her, she curled her fingers just so, and Jane's world exploded.

The jolt sent the chair across the floor, but Maura held on, refusing to give any respite from her mouth or her fingers, until Jane weakly begged, "Stop… stop… stop."

The aftershocks rippled through Jane's trembling body, and Maura helped her to her knees. Barely catching her breath, Jane framed Maura's face with her hands and kissed her deeply until they were both gasping for air.

"I… wow…" Jane smiled. She took in a deep breath before continuing, "Consider the oversight rectified."

"Just wait until you see what I have planned for our second anniversary."

Jane gazed into playful hazel eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" Her hands sneaked around Maura's back and began to unzip the dress. "We're not even done with our first one yet."

XxXxX


End file.
